黄葉に置く白露の色端にも
出でじと思へば言の繁けく
出でじと思へば言の繁けく
- Roma-ji
-
Momichiba ni oku shiratsuyu no irohani mo ideji to omoeba koto no shigekeku
- English Translation
-
On the crimson leaves
like the silver dew that lies
even a hint of hue
I won't let show, so I think,
yet the gossip grows so thick!
- Meaning
- Though I mean not to let my love show even a hint, like white dew on crimson leaves, how thick the gossip grows!
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Autumn Love Poems 2307
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Poems in Dialogue"
This poem laments that though the speaker means not to let love show even slightly, as white dew on autumn leaves takes on their hue, the gossip is thick. It is thought to form an exchange with the next poem, 2308. Like the love hindered by gossip in the preceding exchange, 2305, it sings of the vexation of rumor.
The first line, "on the autumn leaves," names where the dew lies.
The second line, "like the white dew that lies," names the comparison.
In the third line, "irohani mo," "irohani" means the slightest edge of color; the upper lines form its preface.
In the fourth line, "ideji to omoeba," "ji" expresses negative intention: though I think I will not let it show.
In the last line, "koto no shigekeku," "shigekeku" is the nominalized "shigeshi": how thick the gossip is.
- Source
- Manyoshu
- Prev Poem
-
Shigure furu akatokizukuyo himo tokazu kouramu kimi to oramashi mono o
- Next Poem
-
Ame fureba tagitsu yamagawa iwa ni fure kimi ga kudakamu kokoro wa motaji