思へども忌むとて言はぬことなれば
そなたに向きて音をのみぞ泣く
そなたに向きて音をのみぞ泣く
- Roma-ji
-
Omoedomo imu tote iwanu koto nareba sonata ni mukite ne o nomi zo naku
- English Translation
-
Though I think of it,
it is a thing one must not
speak, as ill-omened —
so turning toward where you are,
I can do nothing but weep aloud
- Meaning
- Though it fills my thoughts, it is something one must not say aloud for fear of ill omen; so I turn toward where you are and can only weep aloud.
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Miscellaneous Poems II 410
Though it fills her heart, it is something one avoids saying as ill-omened, so the poet can only turn toward that direction and weep aloud. The poem holds the pain of a grief that cannot be put into words and can only be expressed by weeping.
The first line, "omoedomo," uses the concessive "domo": though I think of it.
The second line, "imu tote iwanu," means not speaking it, avoiding it as ill-omened.
The third line, "koto nareba," is a conditional of certainty with the copula: since it is such a thing.
The fourth line, "sonata ni mukite," means turning toward that direction.
The final line, "ne o nomi zo naku," inserts "nomi" and "zo" into "ne o naku" (to weep aloud) and closes with the attributive "naku," a kakari-musubi: I can only weep.
- Author
- Lady Ōtomo no Sakanoue
- Source
- Shika Wakashu
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Nagaki yo no kurushiki koto o omoe kashi nani nagekuramu kari no yadori ni
- Next Poem
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Akugaruru mi no hakanasa wa momotose no nakaba sugite zo omoishiraruru