待てといはばいともかしこし花山に
しばしと鳴かん鳥の音もがな
しばしと鳴かん鳥の音もがな
- Roma-ji
-
Mate to iwaba ito mo kashikoshi Hanayama ni shibashi to nakan tori no ne mo gana
- English Translation
-
Were I to say, "Wait,"
that would be presumptuous indeed;
here on Flower Hill,
would there were a bird whose cry
said, "Stay just a little while."
- Meaning
- To ask you to wait would be far too presumptuous; how I wish there were a bird here at Hanayama whose cry would say, "Stay a little while."
- Commentary
-
Book Sixteen Miscellaneous Spring Poems 1043
Headnote: "When, in spring, the Teiji Cloistered Emperor visited Hanayama and was about to return"
The poet says that to beg the cloistered emperor to wait would be too presumptuous, and wishes there were at least a bird at Hanayama crying "shibashi," "a little while." The headnote shows it was composed in spring when the Teiji Cloistered Emperor visited Hanayama and was about to return. Not daring to voice his wish to detain the noble guest, he would entrust that role to a bird's cry, a poem of reverent reluctance to part.
The author, Henjō, was a grandson of Emperor Kanmu named Yoshimine no Munesada in lay life. He served Emperor Ninmyō and on the emperor's death took holy orders, rising to Archbishop, and founded the Gangyōji at Hanayama. He is counted among both the Six Poetic Immortals and the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets. The Teiji Cloistered Emperor is Retired Emperor Uda.
First line, "mate to iwaba," means "were I to say, please wait," with "ba" after the irrealis form expressing supposition.
Second line, "ito mo kashikoshi," means "it would be most presumptuous," and the poem breaks after this second line.
Third line, "Hanayama ni," means "at Hanayama," the place of the Gangyōji founded by Henjō. The "flower" in the place name evokes a spring scene of cherry blossoms.
Fourth line, "shibashi to nakan," means "that would cry 'a little while,'" hearing the bird's call as "shibashi."
Final line, "tori no ne mo gana," means "would there were a bird's voice," with "mo gana" a final particle expressing a wish.
- Author
- Henjō
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
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