Year
My Translation
By Counselor Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
Approaching the shore
Of Sumiyoshi Bay
As waves carry the night—
Even in this passage of dreams,
You hide from greedy eyes.
Original Japanese
藤原敏行朝臣
住の江の
岸による波
よるさへや
夢の通ひ路
人目よくらむ
Japanese Pronunciation
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki Ason
Sumi no e no
Kishi ni yoru nami
Yoru sae ya
Yume no kayoi ji
Hito me yoku ran
Literal & Notes
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki Counselor
Sumi’s Bay’s [“sumi” = to live, dwell; Sumiyoshi Bay in Osaka, formerly Naniwa]
Ashore/beach [by means of/toward [night/approach]] waves
[night/approach/is caused by/to depend on/to choose] [only/even]
[Dream/vision/illusion]’s [commute/traffic/pass through] [path/route/road]
[public gaze/public notice/people’s eyes] [nice/well/frequent/greed/avarice/want] not
This tanka uses extensive word play, the main being “yoru” as a pivot word meaning both “night” and “approaching.” In the second line “ni yoru” would usually mean “by means of” but it could also mean “night to” or “approaching to.” In the last line, “yoku ran” could mean “hide from” or “not often” or “not greedy.” The sense of the poem could be either keeping their love a secret (from each other or from people in general), even in dreams, or in not accepting his advances, even in dreams. In traditional Japanese symbolism, lovers could communicate with each other in their dreams.