思はぬに妹が笑ひを夢に見て
心のうちに燃えつつぞ居る
心のうちに燃えつつぞ居る
- Roma-ji
-
Omowanu ni imo ga emai o ime ni mite kokoro no uchi ni moetsutsu zo oru
- English Translation
-
Quite unlooked for, I
saw my dear one's lovely smile
in a dream of mine,
and within my heart it burns,
burning on and on in me
- Meaning
- Unexpectedly I saw my beloved smiling in a dream, and now my heart keeps burning within me.
- Commentary
-
Book Four Love Poems 718
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Seven poems sent by Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi to a maiden"
Unexpectedly he saw her smile in a dream, and now his love burns on within his heart. The strong word moyu, "to burn," conveys the flame of love. Like poem 705, it shows love growing in the heart through a dream.
The author, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, was the son of Ōtomo no Tabito and a poet thought to have been deeply involved in compiling the Man'yōshū. He later rose to the rank of Middle Counselor.
First line, "Quite unlooked for, I," means unexpectedly.
Second line, "saw my dear one's lovely smile," names her smile.
Third line, "in a dream of mine," means seeing it in a dream.
Fourth line, "and within my heart it burns," is the same as the fourth line of poem 705.
Fifth line, "burning on and on in me," closes zo with the attributive oru: I am burning still.
- Author
- Otomo no Yakamochi
- Source
- Manyoshu
- Prev Poem
-
Tsure mo naku aruramu hito o katamoi ni ware wa omoeba wabishiku mo aru ka
- Next Poem
-
Masurao to omoeru ware o kaku bakari mitsure ni mitsure katamoi o semu