| Man’yō Name | Wominapesi 女郎花、乎美奈敝之、美人部師、佳人部為、娘子部四、姫押、娘部思、姫部思（ をみなへし） |
| Modern Name | Ominaeshi 女郎花（オミナエシ） |
| English Names | Golden valerian |
| Scientific Name | F. Valerianaceae Patrinia scabiosifolia |
| Distribution | Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu |
| Appearance | |
| Seasonal Association |
Autumn |
Poems (14)
| MYS IV: 675 MYS VII: 1346 MYS VIII: 1530 MYS VIII: 1534 |
MYS VIII: 1538 MYS X: 1905 MYS X: 2107 MYS X: 2115 |
MYS X: 2279 MYS XVII: 3943 MYS XVII: 3944 MYS XVII: 3951 |
MYS XX: 4297 MYS XX: 4316 |
Good evening,
I would like to ask, if it is possible, that ominaeshi used in one poem from Izumi Shikibu could lead to her daughter´s dead. I do not have proper english translation so I will trhy on my own. It is someting like
,,With all my strenght tearing the Patrinia scabiosifolia (ominaeshi,ladyflower,maidenflower) There would not be left any post mortem human name after.”
Thank you for your time.
EH
Thank you for this question.
I believe the poem you are referring to is: 「根こじにも 掘らば掘らなむ 女郎花 人に後るる 名をば残さず」(nekoji ni mo / horaba horanamu / ominaeshi / hito ni okururu / na o ba nokosazu) – there are some versions of the poem where the final line is na o ba nokosaji, but this does not affect the meaning. The poem occurs in Izumi Shikibu’s personal collection, but my copy of this is in my office at the moment, and so I can’t check if there is a headnote, or context of composition provided. In the absence of this, I would translate the poem as follows:
If, roots and all,
‘Tis to be dug up, then let it!
A maidenflower
By folk abandoned –
That’s no name to leave behind!
The poem reads much more as an address by Izumi Shikibu to a man who is being half-hearted in his wooing of her: ‘If you are going to make love to me,’ she says, ‘then do so wholeheartedly and stick with it – I don’t want rumours getting around that you’ve just dallied with me!’
Hope that helps.