逢はざりし時いかなりしものとてか
ただ今の間も見ねば恋しき
ただ今の間も見ねば恋しき
- Roma-ji
-
Awazarishi toki ika narishi mono tote ka tada ima no ma mo mineba koishiki
- English Translation
-
Before we had met,
what sort of time was it then,
and how did I live?
Now even for this moment
not seeing you, how I long
- Meaning
- How did I ever live in the days before we met? Now if I do not see you even for a moment, I long for you.
- Commentary
-
Book Nine Love Poems I 563
Headnote: "Topic unknown."
The poet wonders how he ever lived in the days before they met, for now if he does not see her even for a moment, he longs for her. It conveys how, once they have met, longing grows so strong that he cannot bear to be apart for even a short while.
582 in this book also sings of having had no brooding before meeting, sharing the conceit of contrasting the heart before and after meeting.
The poet is listed as "anonymous," and the composer's name has not come down to us. The text gives the poet as "yomibito mo," which is treated here as "anonymous."
The first line, "Awazarishi," means "when we had not met."
The second line, "toki ika narishi," means "how was it at that time?"
In the third line, "ka" is an interrogative particle: "what sort of thing was it?"
The fourth line, "tada ima no ma mo," means "even for this brief moment."
The last line, "mineba koishiki," means "I long for you when I do not see you," closing with the attributive "koishiki" in answer to "ka" in the third line.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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Kimi kou to nurenishi sode no kawakanu wa omoi no hoka ni areba narikeri
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Yo no naka ni shinoburu koi no wabishiki wa aite no nochi no awanu narikeri