物皆は新たしきよしただしくも
人は古りにしよろしかるべし
人は古りにしよろしかるべし
- Roma-ji
-
Mono mina wa aratashiki yoshi tadashiku mo hito wa furinishi yoroshikarubeshi
- English Translation
-
Of all things that are,
it is new ones that are best;
yet all the same,
people grown old with the years
must surely be the best of all.
- Meaning
- With all things, the new is best—yet with people, surely it is those grown old with the years who are best.
- Commentary
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Book Ten Spring Miscellaneous Poems 1885
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Lamenting What Has Grown Old"
This poem, as if answering the lament of the preceding poem, says that among things the new is best, but among people the old are best. Whereas the preceding poem lamented human aging, this one affirms the worth of those who have grown old, so the two form a pair of lament and consolation. Under the headnote on lamenting what has grown old, it turns from grieving over age to praising it.
The first line, "of all things," states a general rule.
The second line, "new ones are good," breaks the poem after the second line and takes up "are made new" of the preceding poem.
The third line, "tadashiku mo," is taken to mean however, a turning word marking an exception to the general rule.
The fourth line, "people grown old," answers "people grow old" in the last line of the preceding poem.
In the last line, "yoroshikarubeshi," "beshi" expresses what must be so, closing with the affirmation that the old are best. The line is hypermetric.
- Source
- Manyoshu
- Prev Poem
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Fuyu sugite haru shi kitareba toshitsuki wa arata naredomo hito wa furiyuku
- Next Poem
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Suminoe no sato yukishikaba haruhana no iya mezurashiki kimi ni aeru ka mo