Akihagi no hana o ba ame ni nurasedomo kimi o ba mashite oshi to koso omoe - Kokin Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

秋萩の花をば雨に濡らせども
君をばましてをしとこそ思へ

Roma-ji: Akihagi no hana o ba ame ni nurasedomo kimi o ba mashite oshi to koso omoe
English Translation: Though I let the rain
soak the blossoms
of the autumn bush clover,
you, still more than these,
I grieve to see depart.
Meaning: It is a pity to let the rain soak the autumn bush clover blossoms, yet it is you, far more than the flowers, whom I grieve to part from.
Commentary: Book Eight Parting Poems 397

Headnote: "On a day when he was summoned to the Thunder Pavilion, was granted wine, and, as the rain fell heavily, stayed on until evening; composed as he took up his cup upon leaving"
On a day when he had been summoned to the Thunder Pavilion and granted wine, the poet stayed until evening because of the heavy rain, and composed this as he raised his cup on taking his leave. The autumn bush clover wet by the rain is a pity, but parting from you is a greater pity still; he expresses a regard for the other that surpasses even his regard for flowers. Since the next poem is Prince Kanemi's reply, "you" is thought to refer to Prince Kanemi.
The author, "Tsurayuki," was Ki no Tsurayuki, one of the compilers of the Kokinshū, who wrote its kana preface.

The first line, "the autumn bush clover," presents an autumn flower soaked by rain as something to be regretted.
The second line, "the blossoms in the rain," singles out the flowers with o ba, pairing with "you" (kimi o ba) in the fourth line.
The third line, "though I let it soak," uses the concessive domo, granting that it is a pity to wet the flowers before turning to the lower verses.
The fourth line, "you, still more," uses mashite, "all the more," weighing the flowers against the friend and placing the friend higher.
The last line, "I grieve to see depart," binds the particle koso with the perfective omoe, expressing strong regret. The first line of the next poem, "you who grieve," takes up this word.
Author: Ki no Tsurayuki
Source: Kokin Wakashu
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