沖つ楫やくやくしぶを見まく欲り
我がする里の隠らく惜しも
我がする里の隠らく惜しも
- Roma-ji
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Okitsukaji yakuyaku shibu o mimaku hori waga suru sato no kakuraku oshi mo
- English Translation
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The offshore oars
slowly, reluctantly pull,
and the village
I so long to keep in view—
how sad to see it hidden!
- Meaning
- The oars pull slowly, reluctantly, as we row offshore—and the village I long to keep in sight is slipping from view. How I regret it!
- Commentary
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Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1205
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed on Journeys"
From a boat rowing offshore, the poet regrets watching the village he longs to keep in view gradually disappear. The reluctant pulling of the oars may also be read as a sign of his heart's reluctance to leave. The poem is difficult, and its interpretation is disputed.
It is regarded as coming from the Old Collection. The poet is unknown.
The first line, "The offshore oars," refers to the oars of a boat rowing out to sea.
In the second line, "yakuyaku" means gradually, and "shibu" is taken to mean moving reluctantly.
The third line, "I so long to keep in view," means wishing to see.
The fourth line, "and the village," refers to the village the poet longs to see.
In the final line, "kakuraku" is the nominalized form of "kakuru" (to hide): "how sad that it is hidden!"
- Source
- Manyoshu
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