我が紐を妹が手もちて結八川
またかへり見む万代までに
またかへり見む万代までに
- Roma-ji
-
Waga himo o imo ga te mochite yuyagawa mata kaerimimu yorozuyo made ni
- English Translation
-
As my robe's cords
are tied by my darling's hand,
so is Yuya River,
and I will come back to see it
through ten thousand ages
- Meaning
- Yuya River—"tying," as my love ties the cords of my robe with her own hands—I will come back to see it again, for ten thousand ages.
- Commentary
-
Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1114
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "On Rivers"
The first two lines, meaning a wife tying the cords of her departing husband's robe, form an introductory phrase leading to "Yuya River" through the sound of "yuu" (to tie). The poet praises the river whose name recalls his bond with his wife, vowing to return to see it for ten thousand ages.
The next poem also has "my darling's cords, the Yuya valley," so two poems introducing the same place name through the same device stand side by side. "Come back and see it again" is, as in poem 1100 in this book, a set closing vowing to return and praising the land. The location of the Yuya River is uncertain. The poet is unknown.
The first line, "As my robe's cords," means the cords of my garment.
The second line, "are tied by my darling's hand," reflects the custom of a wife tying her husband's cords at his departure to pray for his safety and faithfulness. The first two lines form the introductory phrase leading to "yuu" (tie).
The third line, "so is Yuya River," picks up "yuu" from the introduction and continues into the place name, whose location is uncertain.
The fourth line, "and I will come back to see it," is the same as the last line of poem 1100 in this book, and the poem pauses here.
The final line, "through ten thousand ages," is added by inversion, making the vow to return eternal.
- Source
- Manyoshu
- Prev Poem
-
Kono ogawa kiri zo musuberu tagichiyuku hashirii no ue ni kotoage senedomo
- Next Poem
-
Imo ga himo yuyakōchi o inishie no mina hito miki to koko o tare shiru