ちはやぶる神引きかけて誓ひてし
こともゆゆしくあらがふなゆめ
こともゆゆしくあらがふなゆめ
- Roma-ji
-
Chihayaburu kami hikikakete chikaiteshi koto mo yuyushiku aragau na yume
- English Translation
-
By the mighty gods
we swore our solemn vows—
that too is fearful,
so never, ever dare
to turn against your oath
- Meaning
- We swore by the mighty gods, and that is a dreadful thing, so you must never, ever go back on your word.
- Commentary
-
Book Eleven Love Poems III 781
Headnote: "Having met a woman in the evening and made her swear an oath that they would surely meet again, he sent this the next morning."
The poet says that what was sworn by the gods is a dreadful thing, so she must never break it. To a woman he made swear by the gods that they would meet again, he presses the weight of her oath and warns her against a change of heart.
According to the headnote, he met the woman in the evening, had her swear that they would surely meet again, and sent this poem the next morning.
The poet, Fujiwara no Shigemoto, was a son of Major Counselor Fujiwara no Kunitsune and served as Lieutenant of the Left Inner Palace Guards among other posts.
The first line, "Chihayaburu," is a pillow word leading into "kami," the gods.
The second line, "kami hikikakete," means "calling the gods to witness."
The third line, "chikaiteshi," means "that we swore."
The fourth line, "koto mo yuyushiku," means "is also fearful," for breaking an oath to the gods would bring divine retribution.
The last line, "aragau na yume," means "never go against it," with "na" expressing prohibition and "yume" strengthening it.
- Author
- Fujiwara no Shigemoto
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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