あきづ羽の袖振る妹を玉櫛笥
奥に思ふを見たまへ我が君
奥に思ふを見たまへ我が君
- Roma-ji
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Akizuha no sode furu imo o tamakushige oku ni omou o mitamae aga kimi
- English Translation
-
In dragonfly-wing sleeves
the maiden waves as she dances—
like a jeweled comb-box,
deep within my heart I hold her;
look upon her now, my lord.
- Meaning
- The girl waving sleeves as sheer as dragonfly wings, whom I hold dear deep in my heart—please look upon her, my lord.
- Commentary
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Book Three Miscellaneous Poems 376
Headnote: "Two poems by Prince Yuhara at a banquet"
This is the first of two poems composed at a banquet. Presenting to his guest a girl dancing and waving sleeves as sheer as a dragonfly's wings—a girl he holds dear in the depths of his heart—the host bids him look upon her. A host's hospitality toward his guest and his fondness for the girl appear within a graceful image.
The poet, Prince Yuhara, was a son of Prince Shiki and a royal of the Nara period who left graceful and delicate poems.
First line "In dragonfly-wing sleeves": akizu is the old name for dragonfly—sleeves as thin and translucent as its wings.
Second line "the maiden waves as she dances" means the girl dancing and waving her sleeves.
Third line "like a jeweled comb-box": tamakushige, a lovely box for combs, is a pillow word for oku, "depth," from the inner part of the box.
Fourth line "deep within my heart I hold her" means cherishing her in his inmost heart.
Fifth line "look upon her now, my lord": tamae is an honorific imperative, addressed to the guest.
- Author
- Prince Yuhara
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Yoshino naru Natsumi no kawa no kawayodo ni kamo zo nakunaru yamakage ni shite
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Aoyama no mine no shirakumo asa ni ke ni tsune ni miredomo mezurashi aga kimi