よそにして恋ふれば苦し入れ紐の
同じ心にいざ結びてむ
同じ心にいざ結びてむ
- Roma-ji
-
Yoso ni shite koureba kurushi irehimo no onaji kokoro ni iza musubitemu
- English Translation
-
Loving from afar
while we are apart is pain
like a looped cord
joined as one in heart and mind
come, let us tie the knot
- Meaning
- Loving you from afar is painful; like the cords of a robe slipped through one another, let us join our hearts as one and tie our bond.
- Commentary
-
Book Eleven Love Poems I 541
Headnote: "Topic unknown"
Because loving from afar is painful, the poem calls on the beloved to join hearts as one and make a pledge, as the looped cords of a robe are tied together. Likening the knot of a robe's cords to the bond between two hearts, it expresses an eager wish for love's fulfillment.
First line, "Loving from afar": yoso ni shite means while apart.
Second line, "while we are apart is pain": koureba kurushi means "loving thus is painful," and the poem pauses here.
Third line, "like a looped cord": irehimo is a cord slipped through a loop on the other side of the robe and tied, and since two become one it leads to onaji in the fourth line. The under-sash of poem 507 of this book likewise entrusts love to a cord.
Fourth line, "joined as one in heart and mind": onaji kokoro ni means the two of one heart.
Fifth line, "come, let us tie the knot": iza musubitemu means "come, let us tie it," with te the irrealis of the perfective tsu and mu expressing intention. Tying the cord is overlaid with binding a lovers' pledge.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Kokorogae suru mono ni moga katakoi wa kurushiki mono to hito ni shirasemu
- Next Poem
-
Haru tateba kiyuru kōri no nokori naku kimi ga kokoro wa ware ni toke namu