経もなく緯も定めず娘子らが
織る黄葉に霜な降りそね
織る黄葉に霜な降りそね
- Roma-ji
-
Tate mo naku nuki mo sadamezu otomera ga oru momijiba ni shimo na furisone
- English Translation
-
With no warp at all,
and no weft laid out for it,
the maidens have woven
these autumn leaves; O frost,
do not fall upon them now
- Meaning
- On the autumn leaves the maidens have woven without warp or weft, O frost, please do not fall.
- Commentary
-
Book Eight Autumn Miscellaneous Poems 1512
Headnote: "A poem by Prince Ōtsu"
The poet begs the frost not to fall on autumn leaves as lovely as brocade, as if maidens had woven them without warp or weft. It is a splendid, imaginative poem that sees the leaves coloring the mountains as a brocade woven by heavenly maidens.
The author, Prince Ōtsu, was a son of Emperor Tenmu, gifted in both letters and arms. After Emperor Tenmu's death he was accused of treason and ordered to take his own life.
The first line means "with no warp threads."
The second line means "with no weft laid out," pairing with the first line to show that this is a natural fabric no human hand could weave.
The third line imagines maidens as those who wove the autumn leaves.
The fourth line means "the autumn leaves the maidens weave," likening the leaves to woven brocade.
The final line adds the desiderative "ne" to the prohibitive "na ... so," begging the frost not to fall. Frost was thought to scatter autumn leaves, and the line reveals a heart unwilling to lose what is beautiful.
- Author
- Prince Ōtsu
- Source
- Manyoshu
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