秋の野をにほはす萩は咲けれども
見る験なし旅にしあれば
見る験なし旅にしあれば
- Roma-ji
-
Aki no no o niowasu hagi wa sakeredomo miru shirushi nashi tabi ni shi areba
- English Translation
-
The bush clover
that colors the autumn fields
is in bloom, and yet
there is no joy in seeing it,
for I am on a journey
- Meaning
- The bush clover that tints the autumn fields is in bloom, yet there is no joy in seeing it, for I am far away on a journey.
- Commentary
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Book Fifteen Poems of the Envoys to Silla 3677
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Seven poems composed while anchored at Hikitsu Lodge"
Though the bush clover coloring the autumn fields is in bloom, he sings that, being on a journey, there is no joy in seeing it. It expresses the loneliness of travel: even beautiful flowers bring no comfort without someone to gaze at them together. The feeling of having no one to show beautiful things to also connects with the poem on white pearls, 3628 of this book.
According to the headnote, this is one of seven poems composed while anchored at Hikitsu Lodge. Hikitsu was a harbor in Shima District, Chikuzen Province, thought to be near Hikitsu Bay in Shima, present-day Itoshima, Fukuoka Prefecture. The author of this poem is not named.
First line, "aki no no o": the autumn fields, with "o" marking the object of "niowasu" in the second line.
Second line, "niowasu hagi wa": "niowasu" means to tint beautifully, to make glow: the bush clover that colors the fields.
Third line, "sakeredomo": "re" is the realis of the continuative "ri": though it is in bloom.
Fourth line, "miru shirushi nashi": "shirushi" is effect or worth: there is no use in seeing it. The poem breaks after the fourth line.
Fifth line, "tabi ni shi areba": "shi" is emphatic: since I am on a journey. It is inverted with the fourth line, giving the reason at the end.
- Source
- Manyoshu
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