Year
Unknown
Beaten hemp—
Prince Omi’s
A mere fisherman,
Cutting seaweed
On Irago Island.
Refers to Prince Omi’s exile. The image is that he is now living a life no greater than a peasant fisherman. “Beaten hemp” is a “pillow word” for “spun hemp,” a kind of cloth, and the character for “hemp” also happens to be a character in Prince Omi’s name.
Original Text | Modern Text | Pronunciation |
時人 | 時人 | Ji-jin |
打麻乎 | 打ち麻を | Uchiso wo |
麻續王 | 麻続の王 | Omi no ookimi |
白水郎有哉 | 海人なれや | Ama nareba |
射等篭荷四間乃 | 伊良虞の島の | Irago no shima no |
珠藻苅麻須 | 玉藻刈ります | Tamamo kari-masu |
Translation Notes
Unknown poet
打ち麻を | Strike hemp does (麻 leads 麻続) |
麻続の王 | Omi ’s Prince |
海人なれや | Diver became I-doubt/as |
伊良虞の島の | Irago ’s island |
玉藻刈ります | Seaweed cuts |
Irago-Aichi Prefecture, Tahara City