年の数積まむとすなる重荷には
いとど小付けを樵りも添へなむ
いとど小付けを樵りも添へなむ
- Roma-ji
-
Toshi no kazu tsumamu to su naru omoni ni wa itodo kozuke o kori mo soenan
- English Translation
-
On that heavy load
with which you say you would pile
the number of years,
I would have you cut still more
and add a small bundle too
- Meaning
- On that heavy load with which, you say, you mean to pile up the number of years, I would have you cut still more wood and add a small bundle on top.
- Commentary
-
Book Twenty Congratulatory Poems 1381
Headnote: "Reply."
The emperor asks that a small extra bundle be cut and added to the heavy load meant to pile up the years. Taking up the preceding poem's words about piling up years like firewood, he answers by asking for a further bundle on top, seemingly wishing in return that the giver's own years might be piled higher still.
It is the reply to the preceding poem by the Grand Minister Fujiwara no Tadahira.
The poet, "His Majesty," is Emperor Murakami. A son of Emperor Daigo by Fujiwara no Onshi, he ruled in person, and his reign was praised as the Tenryaku era of good government. It was he who ordered the compilation of the Gosen Wakashu.
The first line, "Toshi no kazu," means "the number of years."
The second line, "tsumamu to su naru," means "which you say you will pile up," taking up "tsumamu" in the preceding poem's last line, with "naru" hearsay.
The third line, "omoni ni wa," means "on the heavy load," seeing the stacked firewood as a burden.
The fourth line, "itodo kozuke o," means "a small bundle more," a small load set on top of a large one.
The last line, "kori mo soenan," means "I would have you cut and add it," with "nan" a particle of request. It takes up "koreru," cut, in the preceding poem.
- Author
- Emperor Murakami
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Yamabito no koreru takigi wa kimi ga tame ōku no toshi o tsumamu to zo omou
- Next Poem
-
Kimi ga tame utsushite uuru kuretake ni chiyo mo komoreru kokochi koso sure