流れてと何頼むらん涙川
影見ゆべくも思ほえなくに
影見ゆべくも思ほえなくに
- Roma-ji
-
Nagarete to nani tanomuran namidagawa kage miyu beku mo omōenaku ni
- English Translation
-
"In time," you say—
what is it you trust in so?
In the River of Tears
I do not think your reflection
will ever come in sight
- Meaning
- "In time," you say—but what are you trusting in? I hardly think your reflection will ever be seen in that River of Tears.
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Love Poems II 657
Headnote: "Reply."
The poet asks what he can be trusting in when he says "in time," for she hardly thinks his reflection will appear in the River of Tears. To his plea in the preceding poem, she coolly pushes him away, saying his sincerity cannot be seen.
It is a reply to the preceding poem, 656, taking up its "nagarete," "tanomu," and "namidagawa" directly and turning them back on him.
The poet is listed as "anonymous," and the composer's name has not come down to us.
The first line, "Nagarete to," means "if time flows on," taking up "nagarete" in the fourth line of the preceding poem.
The second line, "nani tanomuran," means "what are you trusting in?" and the poem pauses here. It answers "tanomu kokoro wa" in the last line of the preceding poem.
The third line, "namidagawa," likens flowing tears to a river, taking up the third line of the preceding poem.
The fourth line, "kage miyu beku mo," means "that your reflection would appear on the water," a figure for his sincerity becoming visible.
The last line, "omōenaku ni," means "though I hardly think so."
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Tsurashi tomo omoi zo hatenu namidagawa nagarete hito o tanomu kokoro wa
- Next Poem
-
Nanigoto o ima wa tanoman chihayaburu kami mo tasukenu waga mi narikeri