杖つきもつかずも我れは行かめども
君が来まさむ道の知らなく
君が来まさむ道の知らなく
- Roma-ji
-
Tsue tsuki mo tsukazu mo ware wa yukamedomo kimi ga kimasamu michi no shiranaku
- English Translation
-
With a staff in hand,
or even without one, I
would go out to you,
but the road by which you come
is a road I do not know
- Meaning
- Whether leaning on a staff or not, I would go out to meet you—but I do not know the road by which you will come home.
- Commentary
-
Book Thirteen Dialogue Poems 3319
Headnote: "Envoy"
This is the envoy to the dialogue chōka (3318). She would go to meet her husband with a staff or without, but does not know by what road he will return. The chōka tells how her husband left for the shore of Kii saying he would gather abalone pearls, crossing Mount Imo and Mount Se; when she asked the evening oracle about his return, she was told that he is delayed seeking white pearls and will be back in seven days or perhaps two, so she should not pine. The envoy shows, as a wish to go out and meet him, a longing that cannot wait even after the oracle’s answer.
The poet is unknown. Book Thirteen is built mainly of anonymous chōka and their envoys, and many of its poems preserve the air of old songs and ritual verse.
The first line, “tsue tsuki mo,” means “even leaning on a staff,” showing resolve to go regardless of age or weariness.
The second line, “tsukazu mo ware wa,” means “or even without a staff,” set beside the first line: she would go in any state.
The third line, “yukamedomo,” means “though I would go,” with “me” the perfective of the intentional “mu” and “domo” concessive.
The fourth line, “kimi ga kimasamu,” means “by which you will come,” with honorific “kimasu” and conjectural “mu,” modifying “michi” (road).
In the closing line, “shiranaku” is the nominalized negative: “that I do not know the road,” ending in lament.
- Source
- Manyoshu
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