Nagashi tomo omoi zo hatenu mukashi yori au hito kara no aki no yo nareba - Kokin Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

長しとも思ひぞ果てぬ昔より
逢ふ人からの秋の夜なれば

Roma-ji: Nagashi tomo omoi zo hatenu mukashi yori au hito kara no aki no yo nareba
English Translation: That it is long,
I cannot quite decide,
for since days of old
it depends on whom one meets,
this long night of autumn
Meaning: I cannot simply call the autumn night long, for since ancient times it has been long or short depending on whom one meets.
Commentary: Book Thirteen Love Poems III 636

Headnote: "Topic unknown."
One cannot simply call the autumn night long, the poet says, since from of old its length has depended on whom one meets. The lover's sense that nights together are short and nights alone are long is set out in a reasoning, almost argumentative, turn of phrase.
The author, recorded as Oshikochi Mitsune with the given name in kana, is Oshikochi no Mitsune. He served in provincial posts such as Junior Clerk of Kai and Provisional Secretary of Awaji, was one of the compilers of the Kokinshu, and is counted among the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals.
Taking up Komachi's lament in the preceding poem that the long autumn night is long in name only when lovers meet, it answers that the length depends on the partner, and the two form a pair.

The first line, "nagashi tomo," means "that it is long," drawing on the common notion of long autumn nights.
The second line, "omoi zo hatenu," means "I cannot settle on it," closing the zo construction with nu, the attributive of the negative zu, with a pause after the second line.
The third line, "mukashi yori," means "from long ago," showing that this is an unchanging truth of love.
The fourth line, "au hito kara no," means "according to the person one meets," the particle kara marking cause.
The final line, "aki no yo nareba," means "since it is an autumn night," giving the reason for the second line in inverted order.
Author: Oshikochi no Mitsune
Source: Kokin Wakashu
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