神無月時雨降りおけるならの葉の
名におふ宮の古言ぞこれ
名におふ宮の古言ぞこれ
- Roma-ji
-
Kannazuki shigure furiokeru nara no ha no na ni ou miya no furukoto zo kore
- English Translation
-
In the godless month
the winter showers have fallen
on the leaves of oak,
and from the capital of that name
come these ancient words.
- Meaning
- These are the ancient words of the capital that bears the name of nara, the oak leaves on which the showers of the tenth month have fallen: that is, of Nara.
- Commentary
-
Book Eighteen Miscellaneous Poems II 997
Headnote: "Composed and presented in the Jōgan era when the emperor asked, "About when was the Man'yōshū compiled?""
In the Jōgan era, Emperor Seiwa asked the author when the Man'yōshū was compiled, and he composed and presented this poem in reply. From oak leaves (nara) wet with winter showers he draws out the name of Nara, answering that the Man'yōshū collects old poems from the age of the Nara capital.
The poem is noted in the history of waka for showing how people of the Heian period understood the origins of the Man'yōshū.
The author, "Fun'ya Arisue" as written partly in kana, is Fun'ya no Arisue, an official of the early Heian period whose career is not known in detail.
The first line, "in the godless month," names Kannazuki, the tenth month of the lunar calendar, the season of winter showers.
The second line, "the winter showers have fallen," uses ru, the attributive of the continuative ri. It has eight syllables instead of seven.
The third line, "on the leaves of oak," contains the pivot word nara, "oak" and the capital Nara. The first three lines lead into the fourth.
The fourth line, "the capital of that name," refers to the Nara capital.
The last line, "come these ancient words," answers by pointing to the Man'yōshū, in inverted form.
- Author
- Fun'ya no Arisue
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Wasuraremu toki shinobe to zo hamachidori yukue mo shiranu ato o todomuru
- Next Poem
-
Ashitazu no hitori okurete naku koe wa kumo no ue made kikoetsuganamu