Nake no Ohe (emperor, 668-672 AD)
Kagu Mountain
Loved Unebi Mountain,
But Miminari loved her too—
They fought.
Since the Age of the Gods
It has been so,
Modern times and ancient too—
Men will fight for the one they love.
Note: Miminari is also a mountain. In Japanese legend, Kagu and Miminari mountains fought each other for the love of Unebi Mountain. This is an allegory of how Naka no Ooe and his younger brother, Ooama, competed for the love of Princess Nukata. The poet won and the rivalry created may have been one of the contributing factors leading to the Jinshin War (672) [see A Waka Anthology, Vol. 1, Edwin Cranston, p. 171].
Original Text | Modern Text | Pronunciation |
中大兄 | 中大兄 | Naka no Ooe |
高山波 | 香具山は | Kaguyama ha |
雲根火雄男志等 | 畝傍を愛しと | Unebi wo osito |
耳梨與 | 耳成と | Nininashito |
相諍競伎 | 相争ひき | Aiarasoi ki |
神代従 | 神代より | Kamuyo yori |
如此尓有良之 | かくにあるらし | Kakuni arurashi |
古昔母 | 古も | Inishie mo |
然尓有許曽 | しかにあれこそ | Shikanikosoare |
虚蝉毛嬬乎 | うつせみも | Utuseni mo |
相<挌>良思吉 | 妻を争ふらしき | Tsuma wo arasou-rashiki |
Translation Notes
A poem by the emperor
香具山は | Kagu/fragrant mountain |
畝傍を愛しと | Unebi/ridge-bystander was-beloved [Unebi is another mountain] |
耳成と | Miminari/ear-shaped mountain also |
相争ひき | Fight-with-each-other knock-down/pull |
神代より | Age-of-the-Gods from |
かくにあるらし | Each/case/write that seems |
古も | Old-times even |
しかにあれこそ | Only exist this |
うつせみも | Men-of-the-world/real-world also |
妻を争ふらしき | Dear/beloved rivalry/fight is of-course |
Year:
2013
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