春の夜の夢のしるしはつらくとも
見しばかりだにあらば頼まん
見しばかりだにあらば頼まん
- Roma-ji
-
Haru no yo no yume no shirushi wa tsuraku tomo mishi bakari dani araba tanoman
- English Translation
-
On a night of spring,
though the dream may bring no sign
and prove cold to me,
if I have but seen you there,
in that much I will trust
- Meaning
- Even if the dream of a spring night proves cruel and never comes true, if I have at least seen you in it, I will put my trust in that.
- Commentary
-
Book Fifteen Love Poems V 1383
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown."
This is the fourth poem of the dream sequence. Even if the dream of a spring night brings no true sign, the speaker will trust at least in having seen the beloved in it. The headnote gives no topic, and the circumstances of composition are not recorded.
The author, "Prince Moriakira," was a son of Emperor Daigo. He was once given the surname Minamoto and made a subject, but was later restored to the rank of prince.
The first line, "haru no yo no," is the same first line as the preceding poem. The two poems begin with the same words and set dreams of spring nights side by side.
In the second line, "yume no shirushi wa," "shirushi" is the efficacy of a dream in coming true.
The third line, "tsuraku tomo," means "even if it proves cruel," "tomo" being a concessive supposition.
The fourth line, "mishi bakari dani," means "even just having seen." "Dani" expresses the least of hopes.
The last line, "araba tanoman," means "if that much exists, I will trust in it." Where the preceding poem was stirred by a dream to wait, this one narrows hope still further, trusting in the dream itself even if it never comes true.
- Author
- Prince Moriakira
- Source
- Shin Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Haru no yo no yume ni aritsu to mietsureba omoi taenishi hito zo mataruru
- Next Poem
-
Nuru yume ni utsutsu no usa mo wasurarete omoi nagusamu hodo zo hakanaki