隠れ沼の下より生ふるねぬなはの
ねぬなは立てじくるな厭ひそ
ねぬなは立てじくるな厭ひそ
- Roma-ji
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Kakurenu no shita yori ouru nenunawa no nenu na wa tateji kuru na itoi so
- English Translation
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From the hidden marsh
rising up from the depths below,
the water shield grows—
let no rumor rise we never slept;
do not scorn me when I come
- Meaning
- Like the water shield, "nenunawa," growing up from the depths of a hidden marsh, I will not let rumor say we never lie together, so do not spurn me when I come to you.
- Commentary
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Book Nineteen Miscellaneous Forms 1036
Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The poem sets "nenunawa," water shield, against the identical sound "nenu na wa," a name for not sleeping together, and plays on "kuru," to pull in the plant and to come, begging the beloved not to refuse his visits. The echoing repetition of sound gives the poem its haikai quality.
The author, "Tadamine," is Mibu no Tadamine. One of the compilers of the Kokinshū and the father of Mibu no Tadami, he is one of the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.
First line, "Kakurenu no," is a marsh hidden from view by overgrowth.
Second line, "shita yori ouru," means growing up from the bottom of the marsh.
Third line, "nenunawa no," is the water shield. The first three lines form a preface leading to the homophone "nenu na wa" in the fourth line.
Fourth line, "nenu na wa tateji," means I will not let a name for not sleeping together arise, punning on the water shield. "Ji" expresses negative intent.
Fifth line, "kuru na itoi so," uses the prohibitive "na ... so." "Kuru" joins "to come" and "to reel in" the water shield, an associated word.
- Author
- Mibu no Tadamine
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
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Semi no ha no hitoe ni usuki natsugoromo nareba yorinamu mono ni ya wa aranu
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Koto naraba omowazu to ya wa iihatenu nazo yo no naka no tamadasuki naru