最上川なべて引くらん稲舟の
しばしがほどはいかり下ろさん
しばしがほどはいかり下ろさん
- Roma-ji
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Mogamigawa nabete hikuran inafune no shibashi ga hodo wa ikari orosan
- English Translation
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On the Mogami
where all must haul, it is said,
the boats laden with rice—
for a little while longer,
I shall keep my anchor down.
- Meaning
- Like the rice boats that all must haul up the Mogami River, I will relent in time, but for a little while longer I shall keep my anchor down and my anger with it.
- Commentary
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Miscellaneous Poems 1163
Headnote: "His reply when I petitioned that a relative of mine, who had incurred the displeasure of the New Retired Emperor, be pardoned"
A relative of Saigyō had incurred the displeasure of the New Retired Emperor, Sutoku, and Saigyō petitioned for a pardon; this is the emperor's reply. The rice boats of the Mogami are hauled upstream by all, but for a while yet he will keep his anchor down.
It draws on the Kokinshū eastern song "Mogamigawa noboreba kudaru inafune no ina ni wa arazu kono tsuki bakari," with ina in inafune echoing "no," implying "it is not a refusal, only for now." Further, ikari pivots on a boat's "anchor" and "anger," meaning he will not set his anger aside just yet; a witty imperial poem. It pairs with Saigyō's reply in 1164.
First line, “Mogamigawa”: a river in Dewa, a poetic place sung with rice boats.
Second line, “nabete hikuran”: that all, they say, haul together, boats drawn upstream by rope.
Third line, “inafune no”: boats carrying harvested rice, echoing ina, "no," of the source poem.
Fourth line, “shibashi ga hodo wa”: for a little while, akin to "only this month" in the source poem.
Fifth line, “ikari orosan”: ikari pivots on "anchor" and "anger"; for now he will keep his anger.
- Author
- Retired Emperor Sutoku
- Source
- Sankashu
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Tsuyoku hiku tsunade to miseyo mogamigawa sono inafune no ikari osamete