石走る滝の水上早くより
音に聞きつつ恋ひわたるかな
音に聞きつつ恋ひわたるかな
- Roma-ji
-
Ishibashiru taki no minakami hayaku yori oto ni kikitsutsu koiwataru kana
- English Translation
-
Swift from the outset
as the headwaters of falls
rushing over rocks,
hearing only rumors of you
I have long gone on in love
- Meaning
- Like the swift headwaters of a waterfall rushing over rocks, from long ago I have heard of you only by rumor, and have gone on loving you all the while.
- Commentary
-
Book Seven Love Poems I 419
As the headwaters of a waterfall rushing over rocks run swift, the poet has long heard rumors of the beloved and has gone on longing all the while. Through hayaku, early and swift, and oto, sound and rumor, both tied to the waterfall, the poem conveys a long one-sided love known only by report.
Some manuscripts name Kazusa of the Former Empress's Household as the author and give the headnote 'Composed on behalf of another on the sentiment of love.' It would then be a poem written in someone else's place.
Like the final line 'koiwataru to wa' of poem 374 in this book, it sings of love that goes on with 'koiwataru'.
First line, 'ishibashiru', means rushing over rocks, a pillow word for taki, waterfall.
Second line, 'taki no minakami', means the headwaters of the falls, whose swift flow leads into hayaku in the third line. The first two lines form a preface.
Third line, 'hayaku yori', means from long ago, echoing the swiftness of the current.
Fourth line, 'oto ni kikitsutsu', means hearing by report, oto meaning rumor in keeping with the sound of the falls.
Final line, 'koiwataru kana', means I have gone on loving, wataru being a word related to the flowing falls. It is the same word as the final line 'koiwataru to wa' of poem 374 in this book.
- Source
- Kinyo Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Tachi nagara kitari to awaji fujigoromo nugisuteraren mi zo to omoeba
- Next Poem
-
Tanomeoku koto no ha dani mo naki mono o nani ni kakareru tsuyu no inochi zo