安太へ行く小為手の山の真木の葉も
久しく見ねば蘿生しにけり
久しく見ねば蘿生しにけり
- Roma-ji
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Ada e yuku osute no yama no maki no ha mo hisashiku mineba koke mushinikeri
- English Translation
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On the road to Ada,
on the hill of Osute
the leaves of the cedars,
since so long I did not see them,
have grown all thick with moss
- Meaning
- The leaves of the fine cedars on Mount Osute, on the road to Ada—because I had not seen them for so long, they have grown thick with moss.
- Commentary
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Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1214
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed on Journeys"
The poet notes that the leaves of the fine trees on Mount Osute, on the road to Ada, have grown mossy in the long time he has not seen them. Seeing a familiar scene again after many years, he feels deeply the passage of time.
It is one of the poems of the journey to Kii; Ada is thought to be around the Arida district of Kii, and Mount Osute a mountain on the way. It is regarded as coming from the Old Collection. The poet is unknown.
The first line, "On the road to Ada," means "heading for Ada."
The second line names Mount Osute in Kii.
The third line, "the leaves of the cedars," refers to fine timber trees such as cedar and cypress; it has an extra syllable.
The fourth line, "since so long I did not see them," gives the cause.
In the final line, "keri" expresses realization: they have grown mossy.
- Source
- Manyoshu
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