色深く 背なが衣(ｺﾛﾓ)は 染めましを み坂給(ｻｶﾀﾊﾞ)らば まさやかに見む
右の一首、妻の物部刀自売 (ﾓﾉﾉﾍﾞﾉﾄｼﾞﾒ)
(現代語訳) 濃い色にあなたの衣は染めればよかった。足柄の御坂を越える時に、はっきりと見えるでしょうに。
I should have dyed your clothing in a color brighter,
So when you pass over Ashikaga Pass, I could see you clearer.
The poem in the right, by my wife, Mononobe No Tojime
(20-4424)
足柄の峠を越え防人に行く夫を見送る妻の心情を歌ったものだ。
The poem describes the feelings of a wife as she sees her husband off as he crosses the Ashigara Pass to join the defense forces.
物部刀自売(ﾓﾉﾉﾍﾞﾉﾄｼﾞﾒ)は、武蔵(むさし)埼玉郡の人。天平勝宝(ﾃﾝﾋﾟｮｳｼｮｳﾎｳ)7年(755)、夫・藤原部等母麻呂(ﾌｼﾞﾜﾗﾍﾞﾉﾄﾓﾏﾛ)が防人として筑紫(ﾂｸｼ)に派遣された。
Mononobe Tojime was a native of Saitama County, Musashi Province. In 755, her husband, Fujiwara Tomomaru, was sent to Tsukushi Province as a defender.
