花の色は飽かず見るとも鶯の
ねぐらの枝に手ななふれそも
ねぐらの枝に手ななふれそも
- Roma-ji
-
Hana no iro wa akazu miru tomo uguisu no negura no eda ni te nana fure so mo
- English Translation
-
Though you may gaze on
the color of the blossoms
and never tire,
on the warbler's roosting branch
do not lay your hand, I pray.
- Meaning
- Though you may never tire of gazing at the color of the blossoms, do not lay a hand on the branch where the bush warbler roosts.
- Commentary
-
Book Sixteen Miscellaneous Spring Poems 1009
Headnote: "In the Tenryaku era, on seeing a bush warbler's nest set on a branch of red plum before the Table Room"
The poet says that though one may never tire of gazing at the color of the blossoms, one must not lay a hand on the branch where the bush warbler roosts. The headnote shows it was composed in the reign of Emperor Murakami, on seeing a warbler's nest set on a branch of red plum before the Table Room of the palace. It calls on those who admire the blossoms to spare a thought for the warbler sheltering in its nest.
The author, the Ichijō Regent, is Fujiwara no Koretada. The eldest son of Fujiwara no Morosuke, he rose to Regent and Chancellor, and when the Gosenshū was compiled he served as superintendent of the Bureau of Poetry.
First line, "hana no iro wa," means "the color of the blossoms," taking up the red plum of the headnote.
Second line, "akazu miru tomo," means "even if you gaze without tiring," with "tomo" expressing a concessive supposition.
Third line, "uguisu no," means "the bush warbler's," pointing to the warbler in the nest on the red plum branch.
Fourth line, "negura no eda ni," means "on the branch where it roosts."
Final line, "te nana fure so mo," means "do not lay a hand on it," with the form "na ... so" expressing prohibition and "mo" adding a note of feeling.
- Author
- Fujiwara no Koretada
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
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Inishi toshi nekojite ueshi waga yado no wakagi no ume wa hana sakinikeri
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Orite miru kai mo aru kana ume no hana kyō kokonoe no nioi masarite