春の野に掘る掘る見れどなかりけり
世にところせき人のためには
世にところせき人のためには
- Roma-ji
-
Haru no no ni horu horu miredo nakarikeri yo ni tokoroseki hito no tame ni wa
- English Translation
-
In the fields of spring
we have dug and dug to look,
yet there was none found,
not for one who in this world
takes up so much room as you.
- Meaning
- In the spring fields we dug and dug, but found none, at least none for a man who takes up so much room in the world as you.
- Commentary
-
Book Sixteen Miscellaneous Spring Poems 1033
Headnote: "In reply"
The reply says that though they dug and dug in the spring fields, they found none, at least none for a person who takes up so much room in the world. Teased in the preceding poem, 1032, about having found a place for two to sleep, the women pivot "tokoro" in "tokoroseshi," taking up much room, on the wild yam "tokoro," and wittily turn it back: there is no place to suit one who throws his weight about as he does.
First line, "haru no no ni," means "in the spring fields," answering with the same line as the first line of the preceding poem, 1032.
Second line, "horu horu miredo," means "though we dug and dug," repeating "horu" to tell of searching again and again, with "do" a concessive particle.
Third line, "nakarikeri," means "there was none," with "keri" expressing a sigh of realization. The poem breaks after this third line.
Fourth line, "yo ni tokoroseki," means "who takes up so much room in the world," with "tokoro" a pivot word on the "tokoro" of "tokoroseshi" and the wild yam "tokoro." It takes up the pivot word in the second line of the preceding poem, "tokoro motomu to."
Final line, "hito no tame ni wa," means "for such a person," giving in inverted order what is lacking in "nakarikeri" in the third line.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Haru no no ni tokoro motomu to iu naru wa futari nu bakari mitetari ya kimi
- Next Poem
-
Kakikurashi yuki mo furanan sakurabana mada sakanu ma wa yosoete mo mimu