Mina hito no somukihatenuru yo no naka ni Furu no yashiro no mi o ika ni semu - Shin Kokin Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

みな人の背きはてぬる世の中に
ふるの社の身をいかにせむ

Roma-ji: Mina hito no somukihatenuru yo no naka ni Furu no yashiro no mi o ika ni semu
English Translation: In a world where all
have turned from it completely,
what now am I to do,
old like the shrine of Furu,
living on in the world still?
Meaning: In a world everyone has renounced, what am I to do with myself, grown old like the shrine of Furu and still living on?
Commentary: Book Eighteen Miscellaneous Poems III 1796

Headnote: "Written at the end of a booklet in which I had written reed-script, long poems, and such."
A poem lamenting one left in the world. In a world everyone has renounced, what is she to do with herself, grown old like the shrine of Furu and still lingering on? She voices the loneliness of being left behind as those close to her take vows one after another. According to the headnote, it was written at the end of a booklet in which she had written reed-script, long poems, and the like.
The author, "Consort Princess Kishi," was a daughter of Prince Shigeakira, son of Emperor Daigo; she served as Ise Priestess and then became a consort of Emperor Murakami, being called the Priestess Consort. She is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.
The shrine of Furu is the Isonokami Shrine in Yamato Province, in present-day Tenri City, Nara Prefecture, a poetic place sung of as an ancient shrine with a pun on "furu," to grow old.

The first line, "mina hito no," means "everyone."
The second line, "somukihatenuru," means "have wholly turned away from," referring to people taking vows one after another.
The third line, "yo no naka ni," means "in such a world."
In the fourth line, "Furu no yashiro no," "furu" is a pivot word meaning both the place name Furu and "growing old" or "living on" in the world. It likens her to an old shrine, remaining aged in the world.
The last line, "mi o ika ni semu," means "what shall I do with myself?" Through the contrast between those who have renounced the world and herself left behind, it shows her grief at being abandoned.
Author: Princess Kishi
Source: Shin Kokin Wakashu
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