たたなづく青垣山の隔なりなば
しばしば君を言問はじかも
しばしば君を言問はじかも
- Roma-ji
-
Tatanazuku aogakiyama no henarinaba shibashiba kimi o koto towaji kamo
- English Translation
-
When the green mountains,
folded like a hedge around,
come between us two,
will I no longer often
speak with you, my love
- Meaning
- Once the green mountains, layered like a hedge, stand between us, will I no longer be able to speak with you often?
- Commentary
-
Book Twelve Poems Lamenting Parting 3187
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Poems Lamenting Parting"
Before parting, the poet worries that once the layered green mountains stand between them, they will no longer often exchange words. The image of mountain upon mountain impresses on us the great distance between them.
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, "tatanazuku," means "folded layer upon layer," leading to "aogakiyama."
Line two, "aogakiyama no," means "of mountains ranged like a green hedge."
Line three, "henarinaba," means "if they come between."
Line four, "shibashiba kimi o," means "often, with you."
Line five, "koto towaji kamo," means "will I not exchange words?"
- Author
- Unknown
- Source
- Manyoshu
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