Hyakunin Isshu Oracle

No.45 謙徳公(藤原伊尹)「あはれとも いふべき人は 思ほえで 身のいたづらに なりぬべきかな」

あはれとも いふべき人は 思ほえで 身のいたづらに なりぬべきかな

謙徳公(藤原伊尹)

no one left to call it sad — so I will just run out

no one left to call it sad — so I will just run out

キーワードKeywords

No One to PityWasted LifeIsolationAbandonmentFading Out
Love

謙徳公(藤原伊尹)Fujiwara no Koretada — No. 45 公卿Court Noble

A regent and chancellor at the top of the court, who hosted poetry contests and patronized the poets of his day.

あはれとも いふべきひとは おもほえで みのいたづらに なりぬべきかな

Aware to mo Iu beki hito wa Omohoede Mi no itazura ni Narinu beki kana

現代語訳Modern Japanese

コンセプトConcept

情景The Scene

He tries to think of one person who would say “that is a shame” about him, and cannot produce a name. So it will just end — not tragically, not dramatically, only pointlessly.

日本の美意識Japanese Aesthetic

Sabi (Loneliness Without Escape)

The fear is not of ending but of ending unwitnessed. Work that admits it may go unheard has a different, harder honesty than work that assumes an audience.