ありしだに憂かりしものを飽かずとて
いづこに添ふるつらさなるらん
いづこに添ふるつらさなるらん
- Roma-ji
-
Arishi dani ukarishi mono o akazu tote izuko ni souru tsurasa naruran
- English Translation
-
Even as things were,
it was painful enough, and yet,
still unsatisfied,
where is it you would add
this further pain to me
- Meaning
- Even as things were, it was painful enough—so where, still unsatisfied, could you be adding yet more pain to it?
- Commentary
-
Book Thirteen Love Poems V 952
Headnote: "Sent to the Minister of the Left."
The poet says it was painful enough even as things were, and asks where, still unsatisfied, he could be adding more pain. She voices with irony her resentment at being treated even more coldly when she had already been made to suffer.
According to the headnote, it was sent to the Minister of the Left, Fujiwara no Saneyori. Following 950 and 951, it continues the exchanges around Saneyori, and the next poem, 953, is also his.
The poet, Nakatsukasa, was a daughter of Prince Atsuyoshi, a son of Emperor Uda, and of Ise. She is counted among the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals.
The first line, "Arishi dani," means "even as things were," with "dani" an adverbial particle that names a lighter case to suggest a heavier one.
The second line, "ukarishi mono o," means "it was painful, and yet," with "mono o" an adversative conjunctive particle.
The third line, "akazu tote," means "saying you are not yet satisfied."
The fourth line, "izuko ni souru," means "to where would you add."
The last line, "tsurasa naruran," means "is this pain," with "ran," a form of "ramu," a conjecture about the present.
- Author
- Nakatsukasa
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Hito wa isa miyamagakure no hototogisu narawanu sato wa sumiukarubeshi
- Next Poem
-
Omoiwabi kimi ga tsuraki ni tachiyoraba ame mo hitome mo morasazaranan