Urara Urara ka verse 3

[Raichu]

I think there's a misinterpretation in verse 3 of Urara Urara ka

Ateta tegami wa yomibito o shirazuni
Madobe oka rete harari harari yure teru

Translation says

Letters addressed by an unknown author
Were left by the window, swaying gently

but I think it would the reader who is unknown, not the author. I would say

Letters sent without knowing who would read them
...

or words to that effect.

[bambooXZX]

Hm, I feel like the implication of 'not knowing a reader' here is more like 'left behind without ever being read', rather than any uncertainty. (Maybe the use of 宛てた supports this?)

[Raichu]

Yes I like your interpretation. So, "Adressed letters, without knowing a reader, were left by the window etc."

The only thing is that it involves an inanimate actor (the letter [not] knowing), which tends to be unusual in Japanese, but I agree it does fit in better with 宛てた.

[EJTranslations]

Yeah, I agree that 読み人を知らずに suggests to me "not knowing a reader," i.e. "unread." In any case, it's definitely not the author that's unknown. I'll change it.