Chirinu beki hana no kagiri wa oshinabete izure to mo naku oshiki haru kana - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

散りぬべき花の限りはおしなべて
いづれともなく惜しき春かな

Roma-ji: Chirinu beki hana no kagiri wa oshinabete izure to mo naku oshiki haru kana
English Translation: All the flowers that
are bound to fall, every one,
without distinction,
whichever they may be—how
I regret this passing spring
Meaning: All the flowers that must one day fall, every one of them without distinction, are dear to me—how I regret this passing spring.
Commentary: Book Three Spring Poems III 84

Headnote: "Topic unknown."
Every flower destined to fall is precious without distinction, and the spring in which they bloom is itself to be regretted. The poet extends this sense of loss not to any one flower but to all the flowers of spring.
The poet is listed as "anonymous," and the composer's name has not come down to us. The text gives the poet as "yomibito mo," which is treated here as "anonymous."

In the first line, "nu beshi" means "will surely," showing these are flowers bound to fall.
In the second line, "kagiri" means "all there are": "all the flowers that are to fall."
The third line, "oshinabete," means "all alike."
The fourth line, "izure to mo naku," means "without distinguishing one from another."
In the last line, "kana" expresses a sigh. 138 of this book and the closing poem, 146, end with the same phrase, "oshiki haru kana," so the regret for spring recurs throughout the book.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
Prev Poem: Chiyo fu beki kame ni saseredo sakurabana tomaran koto wa tsune ni ya wa aranu
Next Poem: Kakigoshi ni chirikuru hana o miru yori wa nekome ni kaze no fuki mo kosanan