Kurenai no iro ni wa ideji kakurenu no shita ni kayoite koi wa shinu tomo - Kokin Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

紅の色には出でじ隠れ沼の
下に通ひて恋ひは死ぬとも

Roma-ji: Kurenai no iro ni wa ideji kakurenu no shita ni kayoite koi wa shinu tomo
English Translation: Like crimson dye,
my love I will not show,
but like a hidden marsh
flowing secretly beneath,
though I should die of longing
Meaning: I will not let my love show like crimson dye; like water flowing beneath a hidden marsh, I will keep it secret, even if I die of longing.
Commentary: Book Thirteen Love Poems III 661

Headnote: "A poem from the poetry contest held at the Empress's palace in the Kanpyo era."
The poet will not let his love show like crimson; like water flowing beneath a hidden marsh, he will go on loving in secret, even if he dies of it. According to the headnote, it was composed for a poetry contest held in the Kanpyo era of Emperor Uda at the palace of his mother, Princess Hanshi. Contrasting vivid crimson with an unseen marsh, it expresses the resolve of a hidden love.
The author, whose name is written in kana in the text, is Ki no Tomonori. He was a son of Ki no Aritomo and an elder cousin of Ki no Tsurayuki. He was one of the compilers of the Kokinshu but is said to have died before its completion. He is counted among the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals.
From here the book continues with poems of hidden love that resolves not to let its color show.

The first line, "kurenai no," refers to the vivid red dyed from safflower, a conspicuous color leading into "show its color."
The second line, "iro ni wa ideji," means "I will not let it show," ending firmly with the negative volitional ji, with a pause after the second line.
The third line, "kakurenu no," refers to a marsh hidden by grasses and unseen, leading into "beneath."
The fourth line, "shita ni kayoite," overlays water flowing beneath with a longing that runs in secret.
The final line, "koi wa shinu tomo," means "even if I die of love," closing with the adversative hypothetical tomo and reinforcing the resolve of the second line in inverted order.
Author: Ki no Tomonori
Source: Kokin Wakashu
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