Hyakunin Isshu Oracle

No.74 源俊頼朝臣「憂かりける 人を初瀬の 山おろし 激しかれとは 祈らぬものを」

憂かりける 人を初瀬の 山おろし 激しかれとは 祈らぬものを

源俊頼朝臣

I prayed for warmth — the mountain sent more wind

I prayed for warmth — the mountain sent more wind

キーワードKeywords

Mountain DowndraftPrayer MisheardCold PersonHatsuseBackfire
Love

源俊頼朝臣Minamoto no Toshiyori — No. 74 公卿Court Noble

Author of the poetics treatise Toshiyori Zuinō and leader of the progressive camp, in open rivalry with Mototoshi.

うかりける ひとをはつせの やまおろし はげしかれとは いのらぬものを

Ukari keru Hito o Hatsuse no Yamaoroshi Hageshikare to wa Inoranu mono o

現代語訳Modern Japanese

コンセプトConcept

情景The Scene

He prayed at the temple for the cold one to soften. What came back was the mountain wind off Hatsuse — harder, colder, more of it. He did not ask for that. Something in the request was mis-specified.

日本の美意識Japanese Aesthetic

Mujō (Impermanence in Motion)

The poem records a request answered incorrectly by a system larger than the asker. Wishes granted in the wrong direction make better material than wishes denied.