GSS 681
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Text
しのびてあひわたり侍けるひとに
藤原忠国
いざり火の よるはほのかに かくしつゝ 有へばこひの したにけぬべし
Translation
Sent to a person he had been seeing secretly for a while
Fujiwara no Tadakuni
Like the faint light of the fisher boat at night, if we continue to see each other secretly like this, the flame of my love will die beneath the surface.
Textual Notes
- あひわたり] あひたり（新ィ）
- 侍ける] ける（堀・安・正保・旧国・八・増・標・新）
- 忠国] 国忠（堀・慶・承・正・新ィ）、作者ナシ（荒）
- ほのかに] ほのぼの（堀）
- かくしつつ] よくてのみ（堀*）
- したにけぬべし] ながくへぬべし（堀*）、なかにへぬべし（荒・片*）
Other Sources
None
Notes
- しのびてあひわたる
- From when they first met to now, the meetings have been secret.
- いざりびの
- These are things you see at night, far away, faintly. So this works as a pillow word for ほのかに (there are examples in MYS).
- かくしつつ
- This is かく "like this" + し + つつ (宣長). A play on that and 隠しつつ(others).
- こひのした
- This means that if the love isn't public he will die (新抄). The 火 will disappear (全釈・新体系). Both (新注).
Analysis
We have to meet like the fisher at night, and if this continues I will die (新抄). This is a sad poem that evokes the image of a distant, faint light that will soon be extinguished (全釈). He wants to make their love public (和歌大系).
漁火、夜魚をとる蟹のともす火也。よるよるはほのかにあひみて、常には逢ねば、かやうにしつつ有経なば遂に恋の下に消果るにてあらんと也。（八）