英語で味わう狂歌 大田南畝-82
Enjoying Kyoka in English: Nanpo Ota-82
被妨仲人恋(なこうどにさまたげられるこい)
相性も よし野の川の 水をさす いもせの山の なこうどぞうき
大田南畝
A love disturbed by nakodo.
What an annoyance, the nakodo* disturbs the couple intimate,
As if Yoshino River poured cold water into Mount Imose** affectionate.
Yomono Akara (Nanpo Ohta)
* mediator arranging a marriage
** Imose literally means man and woman.
(コメント; Comment)
本来は仲をとりもつべき仲人が、仲の良い二人にしゃくにさわったのだろうか。その仲を妨げるという皮肉な状況を、吉野川と妹背山にひっかけて詠んだ歌。
Nakodo is originally a mediator to bring a couple together. But he/she is rather disturbing the relationship, perhaps envious? Nampo is depicting the irony of the situation using traditional metaphor of Yoshino River and Mount Imose, the later literally man and woman on intimate terms.
(注) 狂歌(きょうか)とは、風刺、皮肉、しゃれ、滑稽を盛り込んだ5-7-5-7-7形式の短歌。江戸時代後期(18世紀後半)に隆盛し、天明狂歌として黄金期を迎える。大田南畝(蜀山人 ｼｮｸｻﾝｼﾞﾝ; 1749-1823)は、その代表的文人、狂歌師。
Note: Kyoka is satirical, ironical or comical short Japanese poem, derived from Tanka, composed of 31 syllables, with a pattern of 5-7-5-7-7 sounds. It flourished and marked a golden age in the late Edo period in the late 18th century as Tenmei Kyoka. Ota Nampo, Shokusanjin (1749-1823), is one of the leading Kyoka poets.
by Kota Nakako
2024/02/17
