Ima wa wa wa wabi zo shinikeru iki no o ni omoishi kimi o yurusaku omoeba

今は我はわびぞしにける息の緒に
思ひし君をゆるさく思へば

Roma-ji: Ima wa wa wa wabi zo shinikeru iki no o ni omoishi kimi o yurusaku omoeba
English Translation: Now, as things are now,
I am sunk in deep despair,
since the one I loved
with my very breath of life,
I must now let go of him
Meaning: Now I have fallen into despair, for I must let go of you, whom I loved with my very life.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 644

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Three poems of resentment by Ki no Iratsume"
When she thinks of letting go of the man she loved with her whole life, she says, she sinks into despair. The grief of having to accept parting from her husband is frankly expressed.
The author, Ki no Iratsume, was a daughter of Ki no Kanohito, named Oshika, and was the wife of Prince Aki.

First line, "Now, as things are now," runs to six syllables: now, I.
Second line, "I am sunk in deep despair," closes zo with keru: I have become disheartened. The poem breaks after this line.
Third line, "since the one I loved," uses iki no o, "the thread of breath," meaning life.
Fourth line, "with my very breath of life," means you whom I loved.
Fifth line, "I must now let go of him," uses yurusaku, the nominalized form of yurusu, "to let go": when I think of releasing you.
Author: Ki no Iratsume
Source: Manyoshu
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