周防なる磐国山を越えむ日は
手向けよくせよ荒しその道
手向けよくせよ荒しその道
- Roma-ji
-
Suwa naru iwakuniyama o koemu hi wa tamuke yoku seyo arashi sono michi
- English Translation
-
In the land of Suō,
when you cross Mount Iwakuni,
on that day take care
with the offerings you make;
rough indeed that road will be
- Meaning
- On the day you cross Mount Iwakuni in Suō, make your offerings to the god of the pass with care, for that road is rough.
- Commentary
-
Book Four Love Poems 567
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Two poems sent to the post-horse envoys by Ōtomo no Sukune Momoyo, Senior Secretary of the Dazaifu, and others"
The second of the two poems seeing off the envoys returning to the capital, it urges the traveler, on the day he crosses Mount Iwakuni in Suō, to make his offerings to the god of the pass with care, for the road is rough. Where the preceding poem voiced sorrow at parting, this one names a real hazard on the route and shows concern for his safety.
According to the left note, this poem is by Yamaguchi no Wakamaro, Junior Clerk.
The author, Yamaguchi no Wakamaro, was an official who served under Ōtomo no Tabito as a junior clerk of the Dazaifu.
First line, "In the land of Suō," means located in Suō; naru is a contraction of ni aru. The kana reading gives this line only four syllables.
Second line, "when you cross Mount Iwakuni," names a mountain at Iwakuni in Suō, a notorious difficulty on the San'yō road.
Third line, "on that day take care," means on the day you will cross it, mu softening the phrase.
Fourth line, "with the offerings you make," names tamuke, offerings of cloth to the god of a pass praying for a safe journey, and bids him make them carefully. The poem breaks after this line.
Fifth line, "rough indeed that road will be," gives by inversion the reason for the warning.
- Author
- Yamaguchi no Wakamaro
- Source
- Manyoshu
- Prev Poem
-
Kusamakura tabiyuku kimi o uruwashimi taguite zo koshi shika no hamabe o
- Next Poem
-
Misakimi no ariso ni yosuru ioenami tachite mo ite mo aga moeru kimi