思はんと頼めし人はありと聞く
言ひし言の葉いづち往にけん
言ひし言の葉いづち往にけん
- Roma-ji
-
Omowan to tanomeshi hito wa ari to kiku iishi koto no ha izuchi iniken
- English Translation
-
"I'll love you always,"
so he made me trust—and he,
I hear, is still alive;
but those words he spoke to me,
where could they have gone
- Meaning
- The man who made me trust he would love me always is still alive and well, I hear—so where, I wonder, have those words he spoke to me gone?
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Love Poems II 665
Headnote: "When his heart had changed."
The poet says she hears that the man who made her trust in his lasting love is alive and well, and wonders where the words he spoke have gone. She laments that while the man remains, only the words of his promise have vanished.
According to the headnote, she composed it because his heart had changed. 662 in this book also opens with "omowamu to tanomeshi," lamenting a broken promise.
The poet, Ukon, was a daughter of Fujiwara no Suenawa, Minor Captain of the Right Inner Palace Guards, and served Empress Onshi, consort of Emperor Daigo. Her "wasuraruru mi o ba omowazu chikaiteshi" is included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.
The first line, "Omowan to," means "that he would always love me," the same words as the first line of 662 in this book.
The second line, "tanomeshi hito wa," means "the one who made me trust."
The third line, "ari to kiku," means "is still alive, I hear," and the poem pauses here.
The fourth line, "iishi koto no ha," means "the words he spoke."
The last line, "izuchi iniken," means "where have they gone?" with "izuchi" meaning "in which direction."
- Author
- Ukon
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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