唐衣我は刀の触れなくに
まづたつものはなき名なりけり
まづたつものはなき名なりけり
- Roma-ji
-
Karakoromo ware wa katana no furenaku ni mazu tatsu mono wa nakina narikeri
- English Translation
-
Like a Chinese robe
that no blade has even touched,
so I have not touched her,
yet what is first cut and rises
is only a groundless name.
- Meaning
- Though no blade has touched the Chinese robe, it is cut; though I have not touched her, what rises first is only a groundless name.
- Commentary
-
Book Twelve Love Poems II 704
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
The poem says that, though no blade has touched the fine robe, what is first cut and rises is a groundless rumor. Placing "katana," the blade that cuts cloth, as a word associated with the robe, it pivots "tatsu" on cloth being "cut" and a rumor "rising." It laments, through the steps of tailoring a robe, the injustice of rumor running ahead though the poet has never touched the beloved. Following the preceding poem, 703, it sings of groundless rumor through words associated with the Chinese robe.
First line, "karakoromo," means a fine robe, the same word as the third line of the preceding poem, 703, "karakoromo."
Second line, "ware wa katana no," means "I, with a blade," the blade that cuts cloth being an associated word for the robe.
Third line, "furenaku ni," means "though it has not touched," with "naku ni" concessive, overlaid with the sense of not having touched the beloved.
Fourth line, "mazu tatsu mono wa," is a pivot word: "tatsu" means cloth being "cut" and a rumor "rising."
Final line, "nakina narikeri," means "is a groundless name," with "keri" expressing realization. It is the word that runs through the sequence on groundless rumor since the opening poem, 698.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
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Ajiki na ya waga na wa tachite karakoromo mi ni mo narasade yaminu beki kana
- Next Poem
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Somekawa ni yado karu nami no hayakereba nakina tatsu tomo ima wa uramiji