A poem admonishment and instruction to Owari no Okui, the Scribe, with tanka.
In the Seven Causes for divorce it is written, ‘Should even one of these occur, it is acceptable. Should none of these occur, a man who casually abandons his wife will be imprisoned for a year and a half.’ The Three Cases state, ‘Even in situations where one of the seven causes occurs, it is not necessary to abandon one’s wife. Violation shall be punished by one hundred strokes of the cane. However, in cases of adultery or infection with disease, divorce is acceptable. The law on Bigamy states, ‘A man who, having a wife, marries another woman in addition, shall be imprisoned for a year. The woman will receive one hundred strokes of the cane. In addition, they shall be made to separate.’ The Imperial edict states, ‘Husbands who are righteous and wives who are faithful shall be granted Our compassion.’ My own humble thoughts on the matter are that these various statements are the cornerstone of the Law which instructs us, and a source of guidance on the path we should follow. Consequently, the path of the righteous husband is to never think of separating from his wife, and to live with her holding all property in common. How can one possibly develop fresh feelings for another woman while fogetting those for a former wife? To that end I have written several poems on the inevitable regret one will come to feel from the distress of abandoning one’s wife. These are they.
大汝 少彦名の 神代より 言ひ継ぎけらく 父母を 見れば貴く 妻子見れば かなしくめぐし うつせみの 世のことわりと かくさまに 言ひけるものを 世の人の 立つる言立て ちさの花 咲ける盛りに はしきよし その妻の子と 朝夕に 笑みみ笑まずも うち嘆き 語りけまくは とこしへに かくしもあらめや 天地の 神言寄せて 春花の 盛りもあらむと 待たしけむ 時の盛りぞ 離れ居て 嘆かす妹が いつしかも 使の来むと 待たすらむ 心寂しく 南風吹き 雪消溢りて 射水川 流る水沫の 寄る辺なみ 左夫流その子に 紐の緒の いつがり合ひて にほ鳥の ふたり並び居 奈呉の海の 奥を深めて さどはせる 君が心の すべもすべなさ
| oponamuti sukunapiko no kamuyo yori ipitugikeraku titipapa wo mireba taputoku memo mireba kanasiku megusi utusemi no yo no kotowari to kaku sama ni ipikeru mono o yo no pito no taturu kotodate tisa no pana sakeru sakari ni pasiki yosi sono tuma no koto asa yopi ni wemi miwemazu mo utinageki katarikemaku wa tokosipe ni kakusi mo arame ya ametuti no kami koto yosete paru pana no sakari mo aramu to matasikemu toki no sakari zo pananareruwite nagekasu imo ga itusika mo tukapi no komu to matasuramu kokoro sabusiku minami puki yukige pa purite imidu kapa nagaru napa no yorupe nami saburu sono ko ni pimo no o no itugari apite nipodori no putari narabii nago no umi no oki wo pukamete sadopaseru kimi ga kokoro no sube mo subenasa |
Since Ōnamuchi, and Sukunahiko, in The Age of Gods It has been told: Your father and your mother Gaze on with respect; When you see your wife and child So dear it will rend your heart: In this cicada shell World – this is how it should be. So has it Long been said, so Folk within this world Do make their vows: When the snowbells bloom In profusion, With your dearest love, Your wife, From morning until night Laugh, be serious, and Grieve While talking together; If forever We could be like this – Only heaven and earth, The Gods can tell; As when the flowers in springtime Will bloom brightly – We should await That time of blessing; Abandoned and Grieving, your darling, When will Your messenger come Waits wondering, Sad at heart; The south wind blows Snowmelt waters flowing into The River Imizu: As foam upon its waters With nowhere to go, Does that girl Saburu Her belt Tie with yours together, and As the grebes Pair together At the sea of Nago To the depths Does plunge in confusion Your heart; Hopeless you are, indeed! |