Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 68
Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)
if against all likelihood
I were to linger on
in this world of pain,
I shall remember fondly
the moon of this night
kokoro ni mo
arade ukiyo ni
nagaraeba
koishikaru beki
yowa no tsuki kana
心にも
あらで浮世に
ながらへば
恋しかるべき
夜半の月かな
Cloistered Emperor Sanjo 三条院 (976-1017)
Written when Emperor Sanjo saw the moon shining brightly around the time when he decided to retire as emperor because of illness (he had an eye problem which made him gradually blind). The beauty of the moon doesn't bring consolation, but on the contrary makes his sense of dejection only deeper. "My circumstances are already very difficult, and they can only get worse with time."
Notes
- kokoro ni mo arade: against my expectation
- ukiyo: the transient world
- nagaraeba: if I live long
- koishikarubeki: must be remembered fondly
- yowa; during the night
[Emperor Sanjo by Kano Tsunenobu]
The Poet
Emperor Sanjo (976-1017) was the second son of Emperor Reizei. He was the half-brother of Emperor Kazan, who was Reizei's first-born son. Ieyasada's mother was Fujiwara no Choshi, who was the daughter of the Regent, Fujiwara no Kaneie. According to The Great Mirror, the Emperor looked very much like his maternal grandfather, Kaneie, so he won his favor. He only reigned briefly for 5 years until the regent, Fujiwara no Michinaga, forced him to abdicate so that his own grandson could become Emperor (Emperor Go-Ichijo). Emperor Sanjo was frequently ill, which added further pressure for him to abdicate.References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge); Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).
Illustration/Photo:Wikipedia
Hyakunin Isshu Index