My Translation
By the Mother of Right Imperial Guard Michitsuna (~937-995)
Sighing continuously
I find myself sleeping
In an empty room
Through the long dawn—
Do you know that feeling?
Original Japanese | Pronunciation |
右大将道綱母 | Udaisho Michitsuna no Haha |
なげきつつ | Nageki tsutsu |
ひとりぬる夜の | Hitori nuru yo no |
明くる間は | Akuru ma wa |
いかに久しき | Ikani hisashiki |
ものとかは知る | Mono to ka wa shiru |
Literal Translation
[Sigh/lament/grieve] [-ing/while/doing continuously]
Alone [found (myself)/sleep] night ’s
[Open/daylight/empty] [comes] [period of time/until/room]
[How/aforementioned/threaten/menace] [Long time (since the last time)]
Thing/that [for example] know?
The author was famous for her poetry and her beauty. It is said she wrote this in reply to her husband, who scolded her for taking a long time to open the door after he came to her late at night after during one of his rare visits (aristocratic married couples lived apart at that time and the man visited his wife when he wanted to spend the night.)
“Akura ma” can be read both as “until daylight comes” or as “empty room.”
Year:
2011
Reviews
No reviews yet.