住吉の沖つ白波風吹けば
来寄する浜を見れば清しも
来寄する浜を見れば清しも
- Roma-ji
-
Suminoe no okitsu shiranami kaze fukeba kiyosuru hama o mireba kiyoshi mo
- English Translation
-
At Suminoe
the white waves from far offshore,
whenever winds blow,
come rolling up the beach—
how pure it is to see!
- Meaning
- When the wind blows, the white waves from far out at sea come rolling onto the beach at Suminoe—how pure and clear it is to see!
- Commentary
-
Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1158
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed in Settsu"
Gazing at the beach at Suminoe, where the white waves roll in from offshore when the wind blows, the poet praises its purity. The bright, clean scene of waves breaking on the beach is expressed in simple wonder.
It is one of the poems on Suminoe and, with the next poem, praises the waves breaking on its shore. The poet is unknown.
The first line names Suminoe in Settsu.
The second line, "the white waves from far offshore," refers to the white-capped waves out at sea.
The third line, "whenever winds blow," sets the condition.
The fourth line, "come rolling up the beach," has the white waves of the second line as its subject.
In the final line, "how pure it is to see!" "mo" is exclamatory.
- Source
- Manyoshu
- Prev Poem
-
Tokitsukaze fukamaku shirazu ago no umi no asake no shio ni tamamo karite na
- Next Poem
-
Suminoe no kishi no matsu ga ne uchisarashi yosekuru nami no oto no sayakesa