をととしの先つ年より今年まで
恋ふれどなぞも妹に逢ひかたき
恋ふれどなぞも妹に逢ひかたき
- Roma-ji
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Ototoshi no sakitsu toshi yori kotoshi made kouredo nazo mo imo ni aikataki
- English Translation
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From the year before
the year before the last one,
all the way to this,
I have longed; why is it still
so hard to meet my dear one
- Meaning
- From the year before the year before last until this year I have longed for you; why is it still so hard to meet you?
- Commentary
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Book Four Love Poems 783
Headnote: "Three poems sent by Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi to a maiden"
This is the first of three poems Yakamochi sent to a maiden. He has loved her from the year before the year before last until now, yet why is it so hard to meet her? The concrete counting of years conveys how long he has loved.
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, "From the year before," means of the year before last.
Second line, "the year before the last one," names sakitsu toshi, the year before that.
Third line, "all the way to this," means until this year.
Fourth line, "I have longed; why is it still," means though I long, why.
Fifth line, "so hard to meet my dear one," runs to eight syllables, ending in the attributive.
- Author
- Otomo no Yakamochi
- Source
- Manyoshu
- Prev Poem
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Kaze takaku he ni wa fukedomo imo ga tame sode sae nurete kareru tamamo zo
- Next Poem
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Utsutsu ni wa sara ni mo e iwazu ime ni dani imo ga tamoto o makinu to shi miba