世とともに塩焼く海人の絶えせねば
なぎさのきのはこがれてぞ散る
なぎさのきのはこがれてぞ散る
- Roma-ji
-
Yo to tomo ni shio yaku ama no taeseneba nagisa no ki no ha kogarete zo chiru
- English Translation
-
Since the fisherfolk
who burn salt along the shore
never cease their work,
the leaves on the trees by the strand
are scorched and fall away.
- Meaning
- Since the fisherfolk who burn salt never cease through the ages, the leaves of the trees along the shore are scorched and scatter.
- Commentary
-
Book Seven Names of Things 423
Headnote: "Kisa no ki no hako (box of kisa wood)"
The poet says that since the fisherfolk who burn salt never cease through the ages, the leaves of the trees along the shore are scorched by their fires and scatter. Singing of a beach where seaweed is burned for salt, the poem hides the name "kisa no ki no hako" given in the headnote in the run of sounds "kisa no ki no ha ko" from the fourth to the final line. The headnote names the thing hidden in the poem.
The author, written as Sukemi, is Fujiwara no Sukemi. A son of Fujiwara no Hirotsune, he was a mid-Heian poet known as Tōroku. He excelled at poems hiding the names of things, and his personal collection is the Tōrokushū.
First line, "yo to tomo ni," means "through every age."
Second line, "shio yaku ama no," means "the fisherfolk who burn salt."
Third line, "taeseneba," means "since they never cease," the perfective form with "ba" expressing a reason.
Fourth line, "nagisa no ki no ha," means "the leaves of the trees on the shore." With "ko" at the start of the final line, it hides the name "kisa no ki no hako." 390 of this book also works in the name "kisa no ki."
Final line, "kogarete zo chiru," means "are scorched and scatter," with "zo" resolved by the attributive "chiru."
- Author
- Fujiwara no Sukemi
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
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