丹生の川瀬は渡らずてゆくゆくと
恋痛し我が背いで通ひ来ね
恋痛し我が背いで通ひ来ね
- Roma-ji
-
Nifu no kawa se wa watarazute yukuyuku to koitashi waga se ide kayoi kone
- English Translation
-
The Nifu River—
I have not crossed its shallows,
lingering, holding back,
I ache with longing, my brother—
come, come here and visit me!
- Meaning
- I have not crossed the shallows of the Nifu River; I only linger and hold back, aching with longing, my dear brother. Come, please come and see me!
- Commentary
-
Book Two Love Poems 130
Headnote: "A poem given by Prince Naga to his younger brother"
He calls out to his younger brother Prince Yuge, saying that he only hesitates without meeting him and longs for him painfully, and urges him to come. The affection between brothers is expressed in the form of a love poem.
According to the headnote, Prince Naga gave this to his younger brother, taken to be his full brother Prince Yuge. It is notable as a love-section poem expressing affection between men in the form of love.
The author, Prince Naga, was a son of Emperor Tenmu; his mother was Princess Ōe, a daughter of Emperor Tenji. He was the full elder brother of Prince Yuge.
The first line, "nifu no kawa," is taken to be the Nifu River in Yamato, though its location is disputed.
The second line, "se wa watarazute," means "without crossing the shallows," expressing that he cannot go to see him. It contrasts with "asakawa wataru" in 116 by Princess Tajima in this book, setting the one who does not cross against the one who does.
The third line, "yukuyuku to," is understood to describe a heart that hesitates and makes no progress.
The fourth line, "koitashi waga se," means "I ache with longing, my brother"; se is a word for a man dear to one.
In the final line, "ide kayoi kone," ide urges "come now," and ne expresses a wish: please come and visit me.
- Author
- Prince Naga
- Source
- Manyoshu
- Prev Poem
-
Furinishi omina ni shite ya kaku bakari koi ni shizumamu tawarawa no goto
- Next Poem
-
Iwami no ya takatsunoyama no ko no ma yori waga furu sode o imo mitsuramu ka