Year
My Translation
By Daini no Sanmi, Lady Kataiko (~ 999-1082)
As Mount Arima
Sends the winds
Over Ina’s bamboo fields—
I am the rustling stalks,
So how could I forget you?
Original Japanese | Pronunciation |
大弐三位 | Daini no Sanmi |
ありま山 | Arimayama |
猪名の笹原 | Ina no sasawara |
風吹けば | Kaze fukeba |
いでそよ人を | Ide soyo hito wo |
忘れやはする | Wasure ya wa suru |
Literal Notes
Arima Mountain
Ina ’s bamboo-grass fields
Wind blows when/as
Well/indeed [being like/this/rustling of leaves] person/man
Forget [ironic/rhetorical question] do
Daini no Sanmi is the daughter of Lady Murasaki Shikibu. It is said that this was sent in reply to a lover's letter complaining that he hadn't heard from her.