ひとりのみながめて年をふるさとの
荒れたるさまをいかに見るらむ
荒れたるさまをいかに見るらむ
- Roma-ji
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Hitori nomi nagamete toshi o furusato no aretaru sama o ika ni miruramu
- English Translation
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All alone, lost in thought,
the years have rained on by
at your old home—
how must you now gaze upon
the ruin that it has become
- Meaning
- How must you now look upon the ruin of the old home where, all alone and lost in thought, you let the years go by?
- Commentary
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Book Fifteen Miscellaneous Poems I 1119
Headnote: "When the Kyōgoku Miyasudokoro became a nun and went to Ninnaji to receive the precepts."
The poet wonders how she must look upon the ruin of the old home where, alone and lost in thought, she let the years go by. Imagining the feelings of the Kyōgoku Miyasudokoro, who had taken orders and moved to Ninnaji, he overlays the decay of the dwelling she left behind with loneliness.
According to the headnote, it was composed when the Kyōgoku Miyasudokoro became a nun and went to Ninnaji to receive the precepts. She was Hōshi, daughter of Fujiwara no Tokihira, who enjoyed the favor of Cloistered Emperor Uda. Ninnaji was a temple closely tied to Uda.
The poet, Prince Atsumi, was a son of Emperor Uda. He served as Minister of Ceremonial, later took holy orders and lived at Ninnaji, and was known for his skill in music.
The first line, "Hitori nomi," means "all alone."
The second line, "nagamete toshi o," means "lost in thought, the years," with "nagame" carrying both brooding and "nagame," long rains.
The third line, "furusato no," means "of the old home," with "furu" joining "furu," to pass the years, and "furusato," old home.
The fourth line, "aretaru sama o," means "the ruined state."
The last line, "ika ni miruramu," means "how must you be looking on," with "ramu" conjecture about the present.
- Author
- Prince Atsumi
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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