三輪の崎荒磯も見えず波立ちぬ
いづくゆ行かむ避き道はなしに
いづくゆ行かむ避き道はなしに
- Roma-ji
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Miwa no saki ariso mo miezu nami tachinu izuku yu yukamu yokiji wa nashi ni
- English Translation
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At Miwa Point
even the rocks are hidden,
the waves have risen—
which way now shall I go,
with no other road to take?
- Meaning
- At Miwa Point the waves have risen so high the rugged rocks are hidden—which way shall I go, when there is no other road around?
- Commentary
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Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1226
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed on Journeys"
At Miwa Point the waves have risen so high that even the rugged rocks are hidden, and the poet is at a loss which way to go, with no other road around. The hardship of travel before a raging sea is expressed.
It is regarded as coming from the Old Collection. Miwa Point is thought to be Miwasaki in present-day Shingū, Kii. The Man'yōshū also contains a travel poem on Miwa Point by Naga no Imiki Okimaro (poem 265 in Book Three). The poet is unknown.
The first line names Miwa Point in Kii.
The second line, "even the rocks are hidden," describes the height of the waves.
In the third line, the perfective "nu" states that the waves have risen, and the poem pauses here.
In the fourth line, "yu" marks passage: "which way shall I go?" The poem pauses again.
The final line, "with no other road to take," means there is no detour.
- Source
- Manyoshu
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