天の川なづさひ渡る君が手も
いまだまかねば夜の更けぬらく
いまだまかねば夜の更けぬらく
- Roma-ji
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Amanogawa nazusai wataru kimi ga te mo imada makaneba yo no fukenuraku
- English Translation
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The Heavenly River,
wading, soaking, you came through;
even your dear hand
I have not yet pillowed on,
yet the night has grown so late.
- Meaning
- Though you have waded across the Heavenly River, soaked in its waters, I have not yet pillowed my head on your arm—and already the night has grown late.
- Commentary
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Book Ten Autumn Miscellaneous Poems 2071
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Tanabata"
This poem, in the Weaver's voice, laments that the night has grown late before she could even pillow her head on the arm of the Herdsman, who struggled across the Heavenly River soaking in its waters. It shows grief at how short the meeting is with one who crossed with such hardship. It corresponds to 2060, the Herdsman's lament that dawn came before they exchanged words, singing the same lament from the Weaver's side.
The first line, "the Heavenly River," names the river dividing the stars.
In the second line, "nazusai wataru," "nazusau" means to proceed soaking in water.
The third line, "even your arm," names what she longs to pillow on.
In the fourth line, "imada makaneba," "maku" means to pillow on and "ne" is the perfective of the negative: though I have not yet pillowed on it.
In the last line, "yo no fukenuraku," "raku" forms a nominalization: that the night has grown late. It closes with a sigh.
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Hisakata no ama no kawazu ni fune ukete kimi matsu yora wa akezu mo aranu ka
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Watarimori fune watase o to yobu koe no itaraneba ka mo kaji no oto no senu