ちはやぶる香椎の宮の杉の葉を
ふたたびかざす我が君ぞ君
ふたたびかざす我が君ぞ君
- Roma-ji
-
Chihayaburu Kashii no miya no sugi no ha o futatabi kazasu waga kimi zo kimi
- English Translation
-
Mighty are the gods—
the cedar leaves of the shrine
of Kashii you
wear in your headdress twice:
my lord, a lord indeed
- Meaning
- You who twice wear in your headdress the sacred cedar leaves of the shrine at Kashii, my lord, you are a lord indeed.
- Commentary
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Book Nine Miscellaneous Poems I 527
The poet praises the lord who has twice been able to wear in his headdress leaves of the sacred cedar of Kashii Shrine as truly a fine lord. Through the image of a man adorned with the god's cedar leaves, the poem celebrates the good fortune of one granted a second visit to Kashii Shrine in Chikuzen. It appears to celebrate someone appointed for a second time to a post at Dazaifu.
The final line, waga kimi zo kimi, repeats kimi to praise the addressee, strongly expressing the spirit of celebration.
First line, 'chihayaburu', is a pillow word for gods and shrines, here leading into the shrine of Kashii.
Second line, 'Kashii no miya no', means of Kashii Shrine in Chikuzen. The shrine honors Emperor Chūai and Empress Jingū and was closely tied to Dazaifu.
Third line, 'sugi no ha o', means the leaves of the cedar, the sacred tree of Kashii Shrine.
Fourth line, 'futatabi kazasu', means wearing them twice in the headdress, that is, visiting Kashii Shrine a second time.
Final line, 'waga kimi zo kimi', means my lord is a lord indeed, the particle zo answered by the noun kimi, the repetition giving emphasis.
- Source
- Kinyo Wakashu
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