わたつみの底のありかは知りながら
かづきて入らん浪の間ぞなき
かづきて入らん浪の間ぞなき
- Roma-ji
-
Watatsumi no soko no arika wa shirinagara kazukite iran nami no ma zo naki
- English Translation
-
Though I know
where in the depths of the sea
the place may lie,
there is never a lull in the waves
when I might dive and enter
- Meaning
- I know where it lies in the depths of the sea, yet the waves never pause long enough for me to dive in and reach it.
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Love Poems II 655
Headnote: "Sent to someone whose whereabouts he knew but whom he could not hope to meet."
The poet says that though he knows where it lies on the sea floor, there is no lull in the waves to dive in. He likens one he cannot approach, though he knows where she is, to the depths of a sea whose waves never cease.
According to the headnote, it was sent to someone whose whereabouts he knew but whom he could not meet.
The poet, Fujiwara no Kanemochi, was a son of Fujiwara no Toshimoto and the elder brother of Fujiwara no Kanesuke, and served as Consultant.
The first line, "Watatsumi no," means "of the sea." 618 in this book also opens with "watatsumi."
The second line, "soko no arika wa," means "where it lies on the sea floor," a figure for the beloved's whereabouts.
The third line, "shirinagara," means "though I know."
The fourth line, "kazukite iran," means "to dive in and enter," with "n" softening the statement.
The last line, "nami no ma zo naki," means "there is no lull in the waves," with "zo" an emphatic particle closing with the attributive "naki," a kakarimusubi pattern. It hints at there being no lull in watchful eyes.
- Author
- Fujiwara no Kanemochi
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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Kagerō ni mishi bakari ni ya hamachidori yukue mo shiranu koi ni madowan
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Tsurashi tomo omoi zo hatenu namidagawa nagarete hito o tanomu kokoro wa