白雪は降り隠せども千代までに
竹の緑は変はらざりけり
竹の緑は変はらざりけり
- Roma-ji
-
Shirayuki wa furikakusedomo chiyo made ni take no midori wa kawarazarikeri
- English Translation
-
Though the white snow falls
and would hide it from our sight,
on to a thousand ages
the green of the bamboo
does not change, I find.
- Meaning
- Though the white snow falls and hides it, the green of the bamboo, I find, will not change for a thousand ages.
- Commentary
-
Book Eighteen Miscellaneous Congratulatory Poems 1177
Headnote: "For a screen at the eightieth-year celebration of the seventh daughter of Emperor Seiwa, held by Prince Shigeakira, at a place showing snow falling on bamboo"
The poet says that though the white snow falls and hides it, the green of the bamboo does not change for a thousand ages. The headnote shows it was written for a screen at the eightieth-year celebration of the seventh daughter of Emperor Seiwa, held by Prince Shigeakira, at a scene of snow falling on bamboo. In the bamboo's green, unchanged even when buried in snow, it sees the long life of the princess, unchanged at eighty, and celebrates it. The white of the snow and the green of the bamboo form a pair.
The author, written as "Tsurayuki," is Ki no Tsurayuki, the leading compiler of the Kokinshū, who wrote its kana preface and the Tosa Diary. He is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.
First line, "shirayuki wa," means "the white snow," pairing in color with "midori," green, in the fourth line.
Second line, "furikakusedomo," means "though it falls and hides it," with "domo" a concessive particle.
Third line, "chiyo made ni," means "until a thousand ages," speaking of a great length of years.
Fourth line, "take no midori wa," means "the green of the bamboo," a symbol of what does not change. Like the third line of 1161 in this book, "nayotake no," it celebrates long life through bamboo.
Final line, "kawarazarikeri," means "does not change, I find," with "zari" negative and "keri" expressing a sigh of realization.
- Author
- Ki no Tsurayuki
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Chitose furu shimo no tsuru o ba okinagara hisashiki mono wa kimi ni zo arikeru
- Next Poem
-
Yo no naka ni kotonaru koto wa arazu tomo tomi wa hatashitemu inochi nagaku wa