Translation
By Attendant to Empress Kōka (~12th Century)
A reed cut-off from
Naniwa Bay—
Must I devote myself
For wading into
Passion that night?
Original Japanese | Pronunciation |
皇嘉門院別当 | Kōka Moin no Betto |
難波江の | Naniwae no |
芦のかりねの | Ashi no karine no |
一夜ゆへ | Hitoyo yue |
身をつくしてや | Mi wo tsukushite ya |
恋わたるべき | Koi wataru beki |
Literal Notes
Naniwa Bay ’s
Reeds ’s cut-(reed)/nap/temporary ’s
[One-night/all-night/one-joint] [reason/cause/circumstance/fasten/fix]
[Body/self] [relying-entirely-on/using-solely/exhausting/all-sorts/all-kinds]
Love/tender-passion pass/cross-over/wade must
Naniwa was the ancient name for Osaka while Naniwa Bay was a famous place for lovers to meet. It is also famous for the growth of rushes. This poem was written on the topic of “love at a travel inn.”
This tanka is heavy on the wordplay. “Karine” can mean either a nap or the cut stump of a reed. “Hitoyo” can either mean one night or one joint of a rush. “Mi wo tsukushite” can either mean exhausting yourself or a water measuring gauge.
Year:
2012
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