あひ見ねば恋こそまされ水無瀬川
何に深めて思ひそめけむ
何に深めて思ひそめけむ
- Roma-ji
-
Aimineba koi koso masare minasegawa nani ni fukamete omoisomekemu
- English Translation
-
Since we do not meet
my love only grows stronger;
Minase River,
why did I so deepen it,
and let it dye my heart through?
- Meaning
- Because we cannot meet, my longing only grows. Our bond is shallow as the Minase River, where no water shows, so why did I let my love begin so deeply and dye my heart so dark?
- Commentary
-
Book Fifteen Love Poems V 760
Headnote: "Topic unknown."
The poem laments love that grows because the lovers cannot meet, and asks why the speaker fell so deeply into a bond so shallow. The Minase River, poor in water, is set against "deepen" and "dye," showing the gap between a slight bond and deep feeling.
The first line, "since we do not meet," gives the reason longing grows.
The second line resolves koso with masare, the perfective form of masaru, and the poem breaks here.
The third line names a river said to flow underground, its water hidden, standing for a shallow bond. It contrasts with "deepen" in the fourth line.
The fourth line means "why so deeply," fukame being an associated word for the river.
In the last line some means both "to begin" and "to dye," so the love began by dyeing the heart deep. Kemu asks the cause in the past.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Yamashiro no yodo no wakakomo kari ni dani konu hito tanomu ware zo hakanaki
- Next Poem
-
Akatsuki no shigi no hanegaki momohagaki kimi ga konu yo wa ware zo kazu kaku