Citations:玉の緒

See also: Citations:玉の緖

Japanese citations of 玉の緒

Noun: “beaded string, jewelled string”

• 1205, Shin Kokin Wakashū (book 7, poem 708, poet unknown), text here

  初(はつ)春(はる)の初(はつ)子(ね)のけふの玉(たま)箒(ばはき)手(て)に取(と)るからに揺(ゆ)らく玉(たま)の緒(を)

  hatsuharu no hatsune no kyō no tamabahaki te ni toru kara ni yuraku tama no o

  On the first spring at the first day of the Rat, I take with my hands the jewelled broom decketh with its trembly-resounding strings of jewels.

  [Note: Originally from the Man'yōshū book 20, poem 4493]

Idiom: “shortness of something”

• late 9th century, Ise Monogatari (section 2, poem 30)

  逢(あ)ふことは玉(たま)の緒(を)ばかり思(おも)ほえてつらき心(こころ)の長(なが)く見(み)ゆらむ

  au koto wa tama no o bakari omooete tsuraki kokoro no nagaki miyuran

  Our meetings are as short as the spaces between the beads of a necklace, but that cowardly heart [of yours] is even longer still.

Noun: “thread of life, one’s own existence”

• c. 11th century, Sotan-shū (poem 303)

  みだれつつ絶(た)えなばかなし冬(ふゆ)の夜(よ)をわがひとり寝(ぬ)る玉(たま)の緒(を)よわみ

  midaretsutsu taenaba kanashi fuyu no yo o waga hitori nuru tama no o yowami

  Disturbed or confused, it would be sad cutting my life short in this manner; on winter nights I sleep alone growing weaker like a string of gems.

• 1205, Shin Kokin Wakashū (book 11, poem 1034 by Princess Shikishi), text here

  玉(たま)の緒(を)よ絶(た)えなば絶(た)えねながらへば忍(しの)ぶることの弱(よわ)りもぞする

  tama no o yo taenaba taene nagaraeba shinoburu koto no yowari mo zo suru

  O threaded cord of life, break if thou wilt, lest myself and mine ability to hide [my feelings] be weakened for longer.

  [Note: Also attested in Shikishi Naishinō-shū as poem 319 and in the Hyakunin Isshu as poem 89]

• 1216, Teika-kyō Hyakuban Jika-awase [Lord Teika’s One Hundred Round Own Poetry Contest], poem 188, right (winner)

  思(おも)ふことむなしき夢(ゆめ)の中(なか)空(ぞら)に絶(た)ゆとも絶(た)ゆなつらき玉(たま)の緒(を)

  omou koto munashiki yume no nakazora ni tayu tomo tayuna tsuraki tama no o

  Lest my thoughts end up as empty dreams in the sky, break not, o pained [and] jewelled strand of life.