旅にありて恋ふれば苦しいつしかも
都に行きて君が目を見む
都に行きて君が目を見む
- Roma-ji
-
Tabi ni arite koureba kurushi itsushika mo miyako ni yukite kimi ga me o mimu
- English Translation
-
Here upon my journey
longing is a painful thing;
oh, when, how soon
will I reach the capital
and look into your eyes
- Meaning
- On this journey, longing is so painful; how soon can I reach the capital and see you face to face?
- Commentary
-
Book Twelve Thoughts Arising on Journeys 3136
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Thoughts Arising on Journeys"
Finding longing painful on the journey, the poet wishes to return to the capital soon and meet the beloved. The hardship of travel and thoughts of the capital are layered together in a heart eager to return.
The poet is unknown. Book Twelve, titled the second part of "Love Poems Exchanged Old and New," gathers love poems by people whose names have not come down to us, arranged by category.
Line one, "tabi ni arite," means "being on a journey," a hypermetric line of six syllables. Poem 3158 in this book opens with the same line.
Line two, "koureba kurushi," means "longing is painful," and the poem pauses here.
Line three, "itsushika mo," means "how soon."
Line four, "miyako ni yukite," means "going to the capital."
Line five, "kimi ga me o mimu," means "I will see you," "seeing the eyes" meaning to meet.
- Author
- Unknown
- Source
- Manyoshu
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