世の中に古りぬるものは津の国の
長柄の橋と我となりけり
長柄の橋と我となりけり
- Roma-ji
-
Yo no naka ni furinuru mono wa tsu no kuni no nagara no hashi to ware to narikeri
- English Translation
-
In all this world
the things that have grown old
are, in Tsu Province,
the bridge of Nagara
and I myself, it seems.
- Meaning
- Of all things in this world that have grown old, there are only the Nagara Bridge in the land of Tsu, and myself.
- Commentary
-
Book Seventeen Miscellaneous Poems I 890
Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The poet names the Nagara Bridge in Settsu and himself as the representatives of old things in the world. By placing himself on a par with the famous old bridge, he voices the lament of age with self-mockery. The author is unknown.
The Nagara Bridge spanned the lower Yodo River and was long known as something that had decayed and vanished; it is also named in the kana preface of the Kokin Wakashū.
First line "yo no naka ni" takes a broad view across the whole world.
Second line "furinuru mono wa" uses the attributive of the perfective nu: the things that have grown entirely old.
Third line "tsu no kuni no" is Settsu Province.
Fourth line "nagara no hashi to" cites the bridge famous as the model of old things.
Fifth line "ware to narikeri" sets the speaker beside the bridge and closes with the exclamatory keri, a note of realizing the unexpected pairing.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
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