日の光あまねき空のけしきにも
我が身ひとつは雲隠れつつ
我が身ひとつは雲隠れつつ
- Roma-ji
-
Hi no hikari amaneki sora no keshiki ni mo waga mi hitotsu wa kumogakuretsutsu
- English Translation
-
Though the light of sun
spreads across the whole wide sky
in its every part,
I alone, this one body,
stay hidden behind the clouds
- Meaning
- Though the sunlight pours over the whole wide sky, I alone remain hidden behind the clouds.
- Commentary
-
Book Nine Miscellaneous Poems I 602
Even while the sun's light falls on every part of the sky, the poet says, he alone stays hidden behind the clouds, out of its reach. Likening the sunlight to the favor of the emperor and retired emperor, he laments that while everyone shares alike in that favor, he alone is left behind in misfortune.
The next poem, 603, is Suō no Naishi's answer to this poem, and the two form an exchange that closes the book. In poem 586 of this book too, the poet laments growing old without favor in office.
The author, Toshiyori, is Minamoto no Toshiyori. A son of the Major Counselor Minamoto no Tsunenobu, he compiled this anthology at the command of Retired Emperor Shirakawa.
First line, 'hi no hikari', means the light of the sun, a figure for the favor of the emperor and retired emperor.
Second line, 'amaneki sora no', means of the sky where it reaches everywhere, amaneshi meaning to extend far and wide.
Third line, 'keshiki ni mo', means even in the aspect of.
Fourth line, 'waga mi hitotsu wa', means I alone, this one self, stressing in contrast to amaneki in the second line that only he is left out.
Final line, 'kumogakuretsutsu', means remain hidden by clouds, closing with lingering feeling in tsutsu of continuation. Kumo harete in the third line of the next poem, 603, answers this kumogakure.
- Author
- Minamoto no Toshiyori
- Source
- Kinyo Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Kumo no ue ni nareni shi mono o ashitazu no au koto kata ni oriinuru kana
- Next Poem
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Nani ka omou haru no arashi ni kumo harete sayakeki kage wa kimi nomi zo mimu