山科の音羽の山の音にだに
人の知るべく我が恋ひめかも
人の知るべく我が恋ひめかも
- Roma-ji
-
Yamashina no otowa no yama no oto ni dani hito no shirubeku waga koime kamo
- English Translation
-
As Otowa Mountain
in the land of Yamashina
sounds its name, not even
as a rumor for others to know
would I ever let my love be heard
- Meaning
- Like the name of Otowa Mountain in Yamashina, whose "sound" is its name, would I ever love in a way that even a rumor of it reached others?
- Commentary
-
Book Thirteen Love Poems III 664
Headnote: "Topic unknown."
Playing on the "sound" in the name of Otowa Mountain in Yamashina, the poet declares that she will not love in a way that becomes known even as a rumor. The place names of the upper verse lead into "sound," and the resolve never to let love be known is strongly expressed through a rhetorical question.
The author is recorded as anonymous, and the name has not come down to us. A left note says, "Someone says this poem is by the palace attendant from Omi," so one tradition attributes it to her.
The first line, "yamashina no," is a place name in Yamashiro Province, leading into Otowa Mountain.
The second line, "otowa no yama no," names Otowa Mountain in Yamashina, leading by sound into oto, "sound, rumor." Up to here is a preface.
The third line, "oto ni dani," means "even as a rumor," with dani marking the least instance.
The fourth line, "hito no shirubeku," means "so that others would know."
The final line, "waga koime kamo," means "would I love so? never," formed from me, the realis of the conjectural mu, plus the rhetorical kamo.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
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