ちはやぶる神も耳こそ馴れぬらし
さまざま祈る年も経ぬれば
さまざま祈る年も経ぬれば
- Roma-ji
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Chihayaburu kami mo mimi koso narenurashi samazama inoru toshi mo henureba
- English Translation
-
The mighty gods,
it seems, have grown used to it,
their ears worn dull—
for so many years now
you have prayed for this and that
- Meaning
- Even the mighty gods, it seems, have grown deaf with familiarity—you have spent so many years praying for one thing and another.
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Love Poems II 659
Headnote: "Reply."
The poet says that the gods seem to have grown used to his prayers, for he has spent so many years praying for one thing and another. She deflects him by teasing the fickle heart of a man who has prayed in many ways for many women.
It is a reply to the preceding poem, 658; taking up its "chihayaburu kami," she retorts that the gods will not help because he has prayed too much.
The poet, called "Ōtsubune," was a woman known by that name, thought to be a lady-in-waiting's sobriquet. Few details of her life have come down to us.
The first line, "Chihayaburu," is a pillow word for "gods," taking up the third line of the preceding poem.
The second line, "kami mo mimi koso," means "the gods, too, their ears," with "koso" an emphatic particle.
The third line, "narenurashi," means "seem to have grown used to it," closing with "rashi" in answer to "koso" in the second line, a kakarimusubi pattern. The poem pauses here.
The fourth line, "samazama inoru," means "praying for this and that," ironically alluding to his prayers concerning many women.
The last line, "toshi mo henureba," means "since the years have piled up," inverted with the first three lines.
- Author
- Ōtsubune
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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Nanigoto o ima wa tanoman chihayaburu kami mo tasukenu waga mi narikeri
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Uramite mo mi koso tsurakere karakoromo kite itazura ni kaesu to omoeba