Shitahimo no shirushi to suru mo tokenaku ni kataru ga goto wa arazu mo aru kana - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

下紐のしるしとするも解けなくに
語るがごとはあらずもあるかな

Roma-ji: Shitahimo no shirushi to suru mo tokenaku ni kataru ga goto wa arazu mo aru kana
English Translation: That undersash
which you call the sign of love
does not come undone—
so it seems things are not
quite the way you tell them
Meaning: You say a loosened undersash is the sign of love, yet mine does not come loose at all. It seems things are not as you tell them.
Commentary: Book Eleven Love Poems III 702

Headnote: "Reply."
In this reply the poet notes that a loosened sash is said to be the sign of love, yet hers does not loosen at all, so his feelings must not be what he claims. Turning his own folk belief against him, she casts doubt on his sincerity.
It is the reply to the preceding poem, 701, composed from the woman's side.
The poet is listed as "anonymous," and the composer's name has not come down to us.

The first line, "Shitahimo no," takes up "shitahimo no" in the third line of the preceding poem, answering with the same word.
The second line, "shirushi to suru mo," means "though it is called the sign."
The third line, "tokenaku ni," means "yet it does not come loose," "naku ni" being an adversative expression containing a negative. Against "tokemu o" in the fourth line of the preceding poem, she retorts that it does not loosen.
The fourth line, "kataru ga goto wa," means "as you tell it."
The last line, "arazu mo aru kana," means "it is not so, it seems," with "kana" an exclamatory particle.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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