昔より絶えせぬ川の末なれば
淀むばかりを何嘆くらん
淀むばかりを何嘆くらん
- Roma-ji
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Mukashi yori taesenu kawa no sue nareba yodomu bakari o nani nagekuran
- English Translation
-
From the olden days
this river has never ceased,
you flow from its source—
why then should you so lament
a mere pause in the current?
- Meaning
- Since you are the lower reaches of a river that has never ceased from of old, why should you grieve over a mere pause in its flow?
- Commentary
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Book Seventeen Miscellaneous Poems II 1649
Headnote: "In reply."
This is the third poem of the sequence lamenting one's lot by way of rivers and the reply to the preceding poem. Since he flows from a river that has never ceased from of old, why grieve over a mere pause in its flow, the emperor answers.
The author, "En'yū-in Onuta," means a poem by Emperor En'yū. A son of Emperor Murakami, he took Kaneie's daughter Senshi as his consort.
The first line, "mukashi yori," means "from of old."
The second line, "taesenu kawa no," means "of the river that never ceases." Taking up "taenu bakari mo" of the preceding poem, it denies that the stream of his house could ever run dry.
The third line, "sue nareba," means "since you are its lower reaches." The realis form with "ba" expresses a settled condition.
The fourth line, "yodomu bakari o," means "a mere pause in the flow." A passing misfortune is likened to a pool in the river.
The last line, "nani nagekuran," means "why should you grieve?" "Ran" conjectures the cause. It is a reply of consolation, answering "nagekikeru kana" of the preceding poem by saying there was no need to grieve.
- Author
- Emperor En'yū
- Source
- Shin Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Kakaru se mo arikeru mono o ujigawa no taenu bakari mo nagekikeru kana
- Next Poem
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Mononofu no yaso ujigawa no ajirogi ni isayou nami no yukue shirazu mo