ちはや人宇治川波を清みかも
旅行く人の立ちかてにする
旅行く人の立ちかてにする
- Roma-ji
-
Chihayahito ujikawanami o kiyomi kamo tabi yuku hito no tachikate ni suru
- English Translation
-
Mighty Uji—
is it that the river's waves
are so pure and clear
that travelers on their way
find they cannot leave?
- Meaning
- Is it because the waves of the Uji River are so pure that travelers passing by cannot bring themselves to leave?
- Commentary
-
Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1139
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed in Yamashiro"
The poet guesses that travelers linger by the Uji River, unable to leave, because its waves are so pure. The beauty of the river is praised indirectly through the figure of travelers loath to go.
It is the last of the poems composed in Yamashiro and closes the group on the swift Uji River with praise for the purity of its waves. The poet is unknown.
The first line uses "chihayahito," a mighty person, as a pillow word for "Uji."
The second line means "the waves of the Uji River."
The third line, "are so pure and clear," adds the questioning "kamo" to a "-mi" form and is answered by the attributive "suru" in the final line.
The fourth line, "that travelers on their way," refers to people on a journey.
In the final line, "kate" means "cannot," and the verb closes in the attributive in response to "kamo."
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Ujigawa o fune watase o to yobaedomo kikoezaru rashi kaji no oto mo sezu
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Shinagadori inano o kureba arimayama yūgiri tachinu yadori wa nakute