世を背く苔の衣はただ一重
かさねば疎しいざ二人寝ん
かさねば疎しいざ二人寝ん
- Roma-ji
-
Yo o somuku koke no koromo wa tada hitoe kasaneba utoshi iza futari nen
- English Translation
-
The robe of moss worn
by one who turned from the world
is but a single layer—
not to lend it would be cold;
come then, let us sleep as two
- Meaning
- The moss robe of one who has turned from the world is only a single layer. Not to lend it would be unkind, yet it cannot be doubled—so come, let the two of us sleep together.
- Commentary
-
Book Seventeen Miscellaneous Poems III 1196
Headnote: "Reply."
The poet says that the moss robe of one who has turned from the world is but a single layer, and since not lending it would be unkind, let the two of them sleep together. Answering Komachi, who asked to borrow his robe, he replies that a single robe can neither be lent nor doubled, and playfully turns the tables by proposing they sleep together.
It is Henjō's reply to Komachi's poem, and the two form an exchange. The wit of a monk answering in amorous words is the charm of this exchange.
The poet, Henjō, was named Yoshimine no Munesada in lay life and was a grandson of Emperor Kanmu. He served Emperor Ninmyō and took the tonsure on the emperor's death, rising to the rank of Archbishop. One of the Six Poetic Immortals and the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals, he is represented in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu by "Amatsukaze kumo no kayoiji fukitoji yo."
This exchange also appears in the Tales of Yamato, as a story of Komachi and Henjō at the Isonokami temple.
The first line, "Yo o somuku," means "who has turned from the world," speaking of himself as a monk.
The second line, "koke no koromo wa," means "the monk's coarse robe," taking up directly the fourth line of the preceding poem.
The third line, "tada hitoe," means "is only a single layer," and the poem pauses here. It implies that a single robe can be neither lent nor doubled.
The fourth line, "kasaneba utoshi," is a pivot word joining "kasaneba," if I do not lend it, with "kasaneba," if it is not doubled: not to lend would be unkind, and there is only one layer to double. It answers "kasanan" in the last line of the preceding poem, and "hitoe" and "kasane" are associated words.
The last line, "iza futari nen," means "come, let the two of us sleep," with "n" an invitation. In place of lending his robe he proposes they share a bed, playfully turning the tables.
- Author
- Henjō
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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Iwa no ue ni tabine o sureba ito samushi koke no koromo o ware ni kasanan
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Au koto no toshigiri shinuru nageki ni wa mi no kazu naranu mono ni zo arikeru