Hikiyoseba tada ni wa yorade harugoma no tsunahiki suru zo na wa tatsu to kiku - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

引き寄せばただには寄らで春駒の
綱引きするぞなはたつと聞く

Roma-ji: Hikiyoseba tada ni wa yorade harugoma no tsunahiki suru zo na wa tatsu to kiku
English Translation: When I draw her near,
she will not simply come, but
like a colt in spring
she pulls against the rope; it snaps,
I hear, and a rumor flies.
Meaning: When I draw her close, she will not simply come, but like a spring colt pulls against the rope; and then, I hear, the rope will snap, and a name will rise.
Commentary: Book Eighteen Miscellaneous Congratulatory Poems 1185

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The poet says that when he tries to draw her close she will not simply come, but pulls against him like a spring colt on a rope, and then, he hears, the rope breaks and a rumor rises. Likening an unyielding partner to a spring colt straining at its rope and pivoting on "nawa tatsu," the rope snaps, and "na wa tatsu," a name rises, it jokes that pulling too hard only gives rise to gossip. From here, poems of love and of exchanges between people follow.
The author, Taira no Sadafun, also called Heichū, is known as a great lover and is taken to be the hero of the Heichū Monogatari. He is one of the Thirty-Six Later Immortal Poets.

First line, "hikiyoseba," means "if I draw her near," with "ba" after the irrealis form expressing supposition.
Second line, "tada ni wa yorade," means "she will not simply come," with "de" a negative conjunctive particle.
Third line, "harugoma no," means "like a young colt of spring," likening an unyielding partner to a spirited young horse.
Fourth line, "tsunahiki suru zo," means "pulls against the rope," with "zo" for emphasis. The poem breaks after this fourth line.
Final line, "na wa tatsu to kiku," is a pivot word: "nawa tatsu" means "the rope snaps" and "na wa tatsu," "a name rises." It layers the rope breaking with gossip rising.
Author: Taira no Sadafun
Source: Shui Wakashu
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