朝ごとに汀の氷踏み分けて
君に仕ふる道ぞかしこき
君に仕ふる道ぞかしこき
- Roma-ji
-
Asagoto ni migiwa no kōri fumiwakete kimi ni tsukauru michi zo kashikoki
- English Translation
-
Every morning, as
I tread my way through the ice
along the water's edge,
how awesome is the path
of service to my lord!
- Meaning
- Every morning I tread my way through the ice at the water's edge—how awesome and precious is the path of serving my lord.
- Commentary
-
Book Sixteen Miscellaneous Poems I 1578
Headnote: "When I presented a hundred-poem sequence."
This is the second poem of the sequence on winter. The poet says the path of serving his lord, treading through the ice at the water's edge every morning, is awesome and precious. According to the headnote, it was composed when he presented a hundred-poem sequence to Retired Emperor Go-Toba.
The author, "the Tsuchimikado Palace Minister," is Minamoto no Michichika. The son of Minamoto no Masamichi, he was valued as a close retainer of Retired Emperor Go-Toba and rose to Palace Minister.
The first line, "asagoto ni," means "every morning." It shows attendance at court without fail each day.
The second line, "migiwa no kōri," refers to ice formed at the water's edge. Taking up the frozen mountain stream of the preceding poem, it sings of winter ice.
The third line, "fumiwakete," means "treading my way through." It shows the hardship of going to court on a winter morning.
The fourth line, "kimi ni tsukauru," means "serving my lord."
The last line, "michi zo kashikoki," closes the kakari-musubi of the particle "zo" with the attributive form "kashikoki." Stating the preciousness of a path of service undeterred by cold, it entrusts a heart of loyal service to the things of winter.
- Author
- Minamoto no Michichika
- Source
- Shin Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Yamakawa no iwa yuku mizu mo kōri shite hitori kudakuru mine no matsukaze
- Next Poem
-
Kimi ga yo ni Abukumagawa no umoregi mo kōri no shita ni haru o machikeri