藤原の大宮仕へ生れ付くや
娘子がともは羨しきろかも
娘子がともは羨しきろかも
- Roma-ji
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Fujiwara no ōmiyazukae aretsuku ya otome ga tomo wa tomoshiki ro kamo
- English Translation
-
To serve the Great Palace
at Fujiwara, maidens
born into that lot—
how enviable they are,
that fair company of girls!
- Meaning
- The maidens born to serve at the Great Palace of Fujiwara—how enviable they are!
- Commentary
-
Book One Miscellaneous Poems 53
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "A poem on the sacred well of the Fujiwara Palace — short poem"
A short poem exclaiming how enviable are the maidens born to serve at the Fujiwara Palace. The long poem praised the mountains on every side of the palace and the pure water of its sacred well; the short poem takes this up and praises the palace's prosperity through the good fortune of the women who serve there.
The left note says the author is unknown. The poem is thought to be the work of a poet connected with court ritual.
The first line names the Fujiwara Palace built by Empress Jitō, taking up the setting of the long poem.
The second line, "serving the Great Palace," conveys the honor of service at court.
In the third line, aretsuku means to be born to a destiny, and ya is an exclamatory particle. It praises the maidens' good fortune, as if they were born for service at court.
In the fourth line, tomo means a company or band: "that band of maidens." They are thought to be young women who served the palace, drawing water from the sacred well.
In the last line, tomoshi means enviable, ro is a suffix, and kamo an exclamatory particle: "how enviable!" Through envy of the maidens, the poem closes in praise of the flourishing Fujiwara Palace.
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Uneme no sode fukikaesu asukakaze miyako o tōmi itazura ni fuku
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Koseyama no tsuratsura tsubaki tsuratsura ni mitsutsu shinowana kose no haruno o