巻ごとに玉の声せし玉章の
たぐひはまたもありけるものを
たぐひはまたもありけるものを
- Roma-ji
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Maki goto ni tama no koe seshi tamazusa no tagui wa mata mo arikeru mono o
- English Translation
-
In every scroll,
like the voice of jewels ringing,
letters of such grace—
that there should be any more
of their kind, who would have thought!
- Meaning
- Scroll after scroll, letters ringing with voices like jewels—who would have thought there could be more of their kind in this world!
- Commentary
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Miscellaneous Poems 1351
Headnote: "When I returned this collection after reading it"
Lady Shōnagon, of the retired emperor's household, read the collection of one hundred and ten love poems and sent this when returning it. Scroll after scroll rings with a voice like jewels, letters of a kind one would not have thought existed, she praises.
Repeating tama, "jewel," in tama no koe and tamazusa, she likens each of Saigyō's love poems to a gem. Tamazusa means a letter, comparing the love poems to love letters. It pairs with Saigyō's reply in 1352.
First line, “maki goto ni”: in each scroll, the scrolls holding the hundred and ten love poems.
Second line, “tama no koe seshi”: that sounded with a voice like jewels, praising the poems.
Third line, “tamazusa no”: of letters, likening love poems to love letters.
Fourth line, “tagui wa mata mo”: their like, again.
Fifth line, “arikeru mono o”: mono o adds wonder, "so there were such things."
- Author
- Lady Shōnagon of the Retired Emperor's household
- Source
- Sankashu
- Prev Poem
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Au to mishi sono yo nori no samete are na nagaki nemuri wa ukaru bekeredo
- Next Poem
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Yoshi saraba hikari naku to mo tama to iite kotoba no chiri wa kimi migakanan