Translation
How deep was
the dye
the dye
Of my longing:
A flower
appeared,
appeared,
I went to pluck,
And found just
lingering snow.
lingering snow.
Commentary
There was a note that said the former Chancellor, Fujiwara no Yoshifusa, may
have written the poem. The poem describes the narrator having gone through
winter longing for the spring blossoms. So deep is his longing that he thinks
he sees the flowers and begins to pluck them, but realizes it is just snow that
has not melted from the branches. One could also read this as symbolizing a
situation of unrequited love.
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Japanese
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Pronunciation
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よみ人しらず
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Yomihito shirazu
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心ざし
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Kokorozashi
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ふかくそめてし
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Fukaku someteshi
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折りければ
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Orikereba
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きえあへぬ雪の
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Kieaenu yuki no
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花と見ゆらむ
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Hana to miyuran
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Translation Notes
People’s-affection/intentions/feeling-of-love/disposition/heart
Deeply/profoundly/failure/defeat/negligence/indiscretion
to-dye/to-color
to-dye/to-color
To-break/fracture/snap-off/pick(flowers)
if/when/as
if/when/as
To-go-out/vanish/disappear
not snow ’s
not snow ’s
Flowers may-appear/will-see
[Snow’s flowers
= snowdrops, snow falling like flower petals, or snow on a tree resembling a
flower]
= snowdrops, snow falling like flower petals, or snow on a tree resembling a
flower]