年経ぬる竹のよはひを返しても
このよを長くなさむとぞ思ふ
このよを長くなさむとぞ思ふ
- Roma-ji
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Toshi henuru take no yowai o kaeshite mo kono yo o nagaku nasamu to zo omou
- English Translation
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Even should I give
back the years of this old bamboo
that has aged so long,
it is the life of you, my child,
I would make last long in this world
- Meaning
- Even if I must give back the years of this aged bamboo, I mean to make the life of my child long in this world.
- Commentary
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Book Nine Miscellaneous Poems I 332
Answering the preceding poem, in which the child offers his own years to his parent, the poet says he would rather give back his own aged years to lengthen the child's life. Said to be Retired Emperor Reizei's reply to Retired Emperor Kazan, it answers filial devotion with a parent's loving wish for the child's long life.
The first line, "toshi henuru," uses the attributive perfective "nuru": having passed many years.
The second line, "take no yowai o," refers to the age of old bamboo, overlaid with his own advanced years.
The third line, "kaeshite mo" (even giving back), means returning the years that were offered, forming the reply of the exchange.
The fourth line, "kono yo o nagaku," is a pivot word joining "kono yo" (this world) and "ko no yo" (the child's life), with "yo" also echoing the bamboo joint as in the preceding poem.
The final line, "nasamu to zo omou," combines the volitional "mu" and a kakari-musubi of "zo" with the attributive "omou": I mean to make it long.
- Source
- Shika Wakashu
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