忘るなと言ふに流るる涙川
憂き名をすすぐ瀬ともならなん
憂き名をすすぐ瀬ともならなん
- Roma-ji
-
Wasuru na to iu ni nagaruru Namidagawa ukina o susugu se to mo naranan
- English Translation
-
"Do not forget me,"
you say, and the River of Tears
flows at your words—
may it become a shallows
that rinses your shame away
- Meaning
- At your words, "Do not forget me," my tears flow like a river—may that River of Tears become a shallows to wash away your bitter name.
- Commentary
-
Book Nineteen Parting Poems 1334
Headnote: "When Taira no Takatō had acquired a shameful reputation and was going to a province, he said, 'Do not forget me,' and his wife replied."
The wife says that the River of Tears flowing at his words "do not forget" should become shallows that rinse away his ill name. To a husband leaving for the provinces under a shameful reputation, she wishes that the tears she sheds at his parting words might wash away his disgrace.
According to the headnote, when Taira no Takatō went down to a province under a shameful reputation and said, "Do not forget me," his wife composed this. Poem 1327 of this book also sings of tears of parting as a "river of tears."
The poet is given as "Takatō's wife," the wife of Taira no Takatō, and her name is not known.
The first line, "Wasuru na to," means "do not forget," the husband's words in the headnote.
The second line, "iu ni nagaruru," means "flowing at your words."
The third line, "Namidagawa," is the river of tears, likening flowing tears to a river.
The fourth line, "ukina o susugu," means "washing away the bitter name," taking up "shameful reputation" in the headnote.
The last line, "se to mo naranan," means "may it become a shallows," with "nan" a particle of request. "Flow," "rinse," and "shallows" are associated words with "river of tears."
- Author
- Wife of Taira no Takatō
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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Yukusaki o shiranu namida no kanashiki wa tada me no mae ni otsuru narikeri
- Next Poem
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Ware o nomi omoitsuruga no ura naraba Kaeru no yama wa madowazaramashi