人知れずもの思ふこともありしかど
このことばかり悲しきはなし
このことばかり悲しきはなし
- Roma-ji
-
Hito shirezu mono omou koto mo arishikado kono koto bakari kanashiki wa nashi
- English Translation
-
There have been times
I brooded secretly, alone,
over many things —
and yet there has been nothing
as sorrowful as this
- Meaning
- There were times I brooded in secret over many things, but nothing has ever been as sorrowful as this.
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Miscellaneous Poems II 397
There were times before when the poet brooded in secret, she says, but nothing has been as sad as this. Seemingly mourning the death of Ikuhomon-in, whom she served, the poem holds deep sorrow in unadorned words.
Poem 312 of Book Nine also begins "hito shirezu mono omou koto wa," singing of growing used to brooding over parting from the blossoms. Here the same words open a grief that cannot be grown used to.
The first line, "hito shirezu," means unknown to others.
The second line, "mono omou koto mo," refers to brooding, added with "mo."
The third line, "arishikado," combines the perfective of the past "ki" and the concessive "do": though there were such times.
The fourth line, "kono koto bakari," uses "bakari": as much as this.
The final line, "kanashiki wa nashi," ends firmly: nothing is so sorrowful.
- Author
- Aki of Ikuhomon-in
- Source
- Shika Wakashu
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Yūmagure ko shigeki niwa o nagametsutsu ko no ha to tomo ni otsuru namida ka
- Next Poem
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Oitatade karenu to kikishi ko no moto no ikade nageki no mori to naruramu