道遠み来じとは知れるものからに
しかぞ待つらむ君が目を欲り
しかぞ待つらむ君が目を欲り
- Roma-ji
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Michi tōmi koji to wa shireru mono kara ni shika zo matsuramu kimi ga me o hori
- English Translation
-
Since the road is long,
though she knows you will not come,
knows it well, and yet
she must wait for you just so,
longing so to see your face
- Meaning
- She knows you will not come, the road being so long, yet she must be waiting just so, longing to see your face.
- Commentary
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Book Four Love Poems 766
Headnote: "A poem by Fujiwara no Iratsume, composed in reply at once upon hearing it"
Hearing Yakamochi's preceding poem, Fujiwara no Iratsume replied at once: though the Elder Daughter knows he cannot come because the way is long, she will still be at her gate, waiting, longing to see him. She answers as if speaking for her.
The author, Fujiwara no Iratsume, was a woman of the Fujiwara clan of whom little is known.
First line, "Since the road is long," uses the construction for a reason.
Second line, "though she knows you will not come," uses the negative conjectural ji: knowing you will not come.
Third line, "knows it well, and yet," means although.
Fourth line, "she must wait for you just so," takes up "waiting there" (matsuramu) from the preceding poem.
Fifth line, "longing so to see your face," gives the reason by inversion: wishing to see you.
- Author
- Fujiwara no Iratsume
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Hitoeyama henareru mono o tsukuyo yomi kado ni idetachi imo ka matsuramu
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Miyakoji o tōmi ka imo ga kono koro wa ukeite nuredo ime ni miekonu