住の江の目に近からば岸にゐて
波の数をもよむべきものを
波の数をもよむべきものを
- Roma-ji
-
Suminoe no me ni chikakaraba kishi ni ite nami no kazu o mo yomubeki mono o
- English Translation
-
If Suminoe
were close enough to my eyes,
I would stand on the shore
and count each wave that breaks there
one by one, to know them all
- Meaning
- If Suminoe were close enough to see, I would sit on the shore and count the very waves—but as it is, I cannot know whether your thoughts are as unceasing as you say.
- Commentary
-
Book Twelve Love Poems IV 819
Headnote: "Reply."
The poet says that if Suminoe were close to her eyes, she would sit on the shore and count even the number of the waves. To his claim of thinking of her without pause, she gently voices doubt, saying it is too far for her to verify.
It is the reply to the preceding poem, 818, answering its "shore of Sumiyoshi" and "waves of the open sea" with "Suminoe," "shore," and "waves."
The poet, Ise, was a daughter of Fujiwara no Tsugukage. She served Empress Onshi, consort of Emperor Uda, and received Uda's favor. Later she bore Nakatsukasa to Prince Atsuyoshi. She is one of the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals.
The first line, "Suminoe no," means "of the inlet of Sumiyoshi," taking up "Sumiyoshi no" in the preceding poem.
The second line, "me ni chikakaraba," means "if it were close to my eyes," with "ba" marking a supposition.
The third line, "kishi ni ite," means "sitting on the shore," taking up "kishi ni kiyosuru" in the preceding poem.
The fourth line, "nami no kazu o mo," means "even the number of the waves," answering the waves that break "without pause" in the preceding poem. The opening poem, 795, likewise sings of the "number" of love's thoughts.
The last line, "yomubeki mono o," means "I would count them," with "mono o" adversative, implying that in fact she cannot.
- Author
- Ise
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Sumiyoshi no kishi ni kiyosuru okitsunami manaku kakete mo omoyuru kana
- Next Poem
-
Koite hemu to omou kokoro no warinasa wa shinite mo shire yo wasuregatami ni