世を厭ふ人とし聞けばかりの宿に
心留むなと思ふばかりぞ
心留むなと思ふばかりぞ
- Roma-ji
-
Yo o itou hito to shi kikeba kari no yado ni kokoro tomu na to omou bakari zo
- English Translation
-
Since I hear that you
are one who has renounced the world,
in a borrowed inn
you should not let your heart linger—
that was all I had in mind.
- Meaning
- Since I hear you are one who has renounced the world, I only thought you should not set your heart on a borrowed lodging in this passing world.
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Travel Poems 979
Headnote: "Reply."
This is the second of the exchange between Saigyō and the courtesan Tae over lodging at Eguchi. Since she hears he is one who has renounced the world, the courtesan replies that she only meant he should not set his heart on a passing inn, turning Saigyō's poem back on him. According to the headnote, it is a reply to the preceding poem.
The author, Tae, was a courtesan of Eguchi in Settsu Province.
The scene is a sudden rain on the pilgrimage to Tennōji, at Eguchi in Settsu Province.
The direct occasion is Saigyō, refused lodging, addressing the preceding poem to her.
This exchange later became the subject of the Noh play Eguchi.
The first line, "yo o itou," means "who has renounced the world." Taking up "yo no naka o itou" in the preceding poem, it presents him as one who has left the world.
The second line, "hito to shi kikeba," means "since I hear that you are one." "Shi" is an intensive particle, and the realis form with "ba" gives the reason.
In the third line, "kari no yado ni," "kari" carries both "kari," to borrow lodging, and "kari," transient. It takes up "kari no yadori" of the preceding poem as it stands. It is a hypermetric line of six syllables.
The fourth line, "kokoro tomu na to," means "that you should not let your heart linger." "Na" expresses a prohibition. Taking up "oshimu" in the preceding poem, she answers that she did not begrudge him, but meant to keep a man of religion from setting his heart on a passing inn.
The last line, "omou bakari zo," means "that was all I thought." It closes firmly with the particle "zo." Where the preceding poem reproaches her with the reasoning of renouncing the world, this poem turns the same reasoning against him, admonishing the monk not to cling to a passing inn, and the logic is reversed within the exchange.
- Author
- Tae
- Source
- Shin Kokin Wakashu
- Other
-
- How I wonder now, you who never lived there, bird of the capital: to the one who questioned you, what answer could you give?
- To renounce the world may be too hard a thing to do, yet I'm surprised at you, who grudge a borrowed lodging in this world of borrowed lives.
- Blow against my sleeves; surely I shall have no dreams sleeping on my way, you who come to me from where my heart longs, wind from the bay.
- As I sleep on the road, let my dreams go through, at least, Mount Utsu, I pray; I have never heard of a barrier here, and there is no guard to keep it.