家思ふと心進むな風まもり
好くしていませ荒しその道
好くしていませ荒しその道
- Roma-ji
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Ie mou to kokoro susumu na kazamamori yoku shite imase arashi sono michi
- English Translation
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Thinking of your home,
do not let your heart rush on;
watch the winds with care,
and go well upon your way—
rough it is, that road ahead.
- Meaning
- Don't let your heart hurry you on for thoughts of home; watch the winds carefully and go safely—for that road across the sea is rough.
- Commentary
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Book Three Miscellaneous Poems 381
Headnote: "A poem given by a young woman of Tsukushi to a traveler," with the note "The young woman's name was Kojima"
This poem was given to someone departing from Tsukushi. Lest longing for home make him impatient and set sail rashly, she urges him to watch the winds carefully, showing concern for the traveler's safety. The inversion in the last line impresses the roughness of the sea road, carrying both the sorrow of parting and her care for him.
The poet, Kojima, was a young woman of Tsukushi whose name was Kojima. She is thought to have been an entertainer who attended the banquets of Dazaifu officials.
First line "Thinking of your home" means out of longing for home.
Second line "do not let your heart rush on": na is prohibitive; the sentence breaks here.
Third line "watch the winds with care": kazamamori means watching the wind, waiting for fair weather.
Fourth line "and go well upon your way": imasu is the honorific of "to go." The sentence breaks here.
Fifth line "rough it is, that road ahead" gives the reason afterward by inversion, stressing the dangers of the sea road.
- Author
- Kojima
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Yūdatami te ni torimochite kaku dani mo are wa koinamu kimi ni awaji kamo
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