わびぬればしひて忘れむと思へども
心弱くも落つる涙か
心弱くも落つる涙か
- Roma-ji
-
Wabinureba shiite wasuremu to omoedomo kokoro yowaku mo otsuru namida ka
- English Translation
-
Since I am so pained,
I try to force myself now
to forget at last,
yet how weak my heart must be —
these tears that keep on falling
- Meaning
- Worn down by love, I try to force myself to forget, yet how weak my heart is — the tears keep falling.
- Commentary
-
Book Seven Love Poems I 203
Unable to bear love's pain, the poet resolves to forget by force of will, yet tears fall against his wishes. The poem shows the struggle between the reason that would forget and a heart that cannot be held back.
The first line, "wabinureba" (since I am so pained), is a conditional of certainty giving the reason.
The second line, "shiite wasuremu to," has eight syllables, an extra-syllable line expressing a strong resolve to forget by force.
The third line, "omoedomo" (though I think so), turns with the concessive "domo" toward a result contrary to that resolve.
The fourth line, "kokoro yowaku mo" (how weak my heart), speaks of a heart that gives way against the will.
The final line, "otsuru namida ka" (tears that fall), ends on a noun with the exclamatory "ka," lamenting the falling tears.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Shika Wakashu
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