ならはねば人の訪はぬもつらからで
悔しきにこそ袖は濡れけれ
悔しきにこそ袖は濡れけれ
- Roma-ji
-
Narawaneba hito no towanu mo tsurakarade kuyashiki ni koso sode wa nurekere
- English Translation
-
Since I never grew
used to it, that you don't come
brings me no pain;
it is only from regret
that my sleeves are wet with tears
- Meaning
- Since I was never used to your visits, your not coming does not pain me; it is only regret that wets my sleeves.
- Commentary
-
Book Fifteen Love Poems V 1400
Headnote: "In reply, when Tadamori Ason, whose visits had grown rare, wrote, wondering what I thought, to ask whether I resented his long absence."
This is the sixth poem of the sequence on a severed bond. She replies that, never having grown used to his visits, she is not pained by his absence; only regret wets her sleeves. According to the headnote, after Taira no Tadamori's visits had grown rare, he asked whether she resented his long absence, and this was her reply.
The author, "Mother of Former Middle Counselor Norimori," was the wife of Taira no Tadamori and the mother of Middle Counselor Taira no Norimori. Tadamori was a warrior who rose to Minister of Justice and was the father of Taira no Kiyomori.
The first line, "narawaneba," means "since I was never used to it." It carries the irony that he had never visited often enough for her to grow used to it.
The second line, "hito no towanu mo," means "your not coming, too." It takes up "towazu narinuru," the last line of the preceding poem.
The third line, "tsurakarade," means "is not painful." To Tadamori's question whether she resents him, she answers that she does not.
The fourth line, "kuyashiki ni koso," means "it is from regret." The particle "koso" governs the last line.
The last line, "sode wa nurekere," closes the kakari-musubi of "koso" with the perfective form "kere." Saying she weeps not from pain but from regret, she turns his question back, not resenting him but regretting that she gave him her heart.
- Author
- Mother of Taira no Norimori
- Source
- Shin Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Onozukara sa koso wa are to omou ma ni makoto ni hito no towazu narinuru
- Next Poem
-
Nagekaji na omoeba hito ni tsurakarishi kono yo nagara no mukui narikeri