Natsumushi no mi o itazura ni nasu koto mo hitotsu omoi ni yorite narikeri - Kokin Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

夏虫の身をいたづらになすことも
ひとつおもひによりてなりけり

Roma-ji: Natsumushi no mi o itazura ni nasu koto mo hitotsu omoi ni yorite narikeri
English Translation: That summer insects
throw their lives away in vain
this too, I now see
comes from one and the same
fire of longing as mine
Meaning: That summer insects throw away their lives in vain, flying into the flame, is, I now see, because of the same single fire of longing that burns in me.
Commentary: Book Eleven Love Poems I 544

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The poem overlays the insects that fly into the lamp on summer nights and die with the poet destroying himself for love. Pivoting omoi, longing, with hi, fire, it discovers that the flame that burns the insects and the fire of love that scorches the poet are one and the same, expressing the sorrow of one who gives himself up to love. Following the fireflies of the preceding poem, it again links summer insects and fire with love.

First line, "That summer insects": natsumushi are insects drawn to lamps on summer nights, thought of as flying into the fire to their destruction.
Second line, "throw their lives away in vain": itazura ni means vainly or to no purpose.
Third line, "this too, I now see": nasu koto mo, the doing too, refers to the insects destroying themselves.
Fourth line, "comes from one and the same": omoi is a pivot word containing hi, fire. Hitotsu means both that the insects and the poet share a single fire and a single-minded longing.
Fifth line, "fire of longing as mine": yorite narikeri means "it is because of," with keri expressing realization. Taking up the fireflies' "burning" in the preceding poem, 543, it unfolds into insects that burn themselves in the flame.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Kokin Wakashu
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