橡の衣は人皆事なしと
言ひし時より着欲しく思ほゆ
言ひし時より着欲しく思ほゆ
- Roma-ji
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Tsurubami no kinu wa hito mina kotonashi to iishi toki yori kihoshiku omōyu
- English Translation
-
The acorn-dyed robe,
everyone has said of it,
is free of trouble;
ever since they told me so
I have longed to put it on
- Meaning
- Ever since everyone said that an acorn-dyed robe brings no trouble, I have found myself longing to wear one.
- Commentary
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Book Seven Allegorical Poems 1311
Headnote: "On Robes"
Ever since everyone said that an acorn-dyed robe is free of trouble, the poet has longed to wear one. The acorn-dyed robe, worn by people of low rank, is taken to stand for a woman of humble station who is easy to approach, expressing how his interest was stirred by what others said.
Following the fifteen Hitomaro Collection poems, it is the first under a new heading "On Robes," which covers five poems. It repeats the same heading and device as the Hitomaro Collection poems on robes beginning with poem 1296 in this book. "Acorn-dyed" and "longing to wear" are shared with poem 1314 in this book. The poet is unknown.
The first line, "The acorn-dyed robe," is the same as the first line of poem 1314 in this book.
The second line, "everyone has said of it," refers to what people all say.
The third line, "is free of trouble," means it is safe and causes no bother.
The fourth line, "ever since they told me so," marks when the feeling began.
The final line, "I have longed to put it on," corresponds to "longing to wear" in the fourth line of poem 1314.
- Source
- Manyoshu
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