Natsumushi no mi o takisutete tama shi araba ware to manebamu hitome moru mi zo - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

夏虫の身を焚き捨てて玉しあらば
我とまねばむ人目守る身ぞ

Roma-ji: Natsumushi no mi o takisutete tama shi araba ware to manebamu hitome moru mi zo
English Translation: Like the summer moth
that burns away its body,
if my soul remained
I would gladly do the same—
I, who live in fear of eyes
Meaning: If, like the summer moth that burns its body away, my soul could still remain, I would gladly do the same—I who must always guard against others' eyes.
Commentary: Book Four Summer Poems 213

Headnote: "Topic unknown."
Like the summer insect that flies into the flame and burns its body away, the poet would do the same if only his soul might remain. Lamenting a self that cannot fulfill its love for fear of others' eyes, the poem voices a fierce wish to die for love even at the cost of his body.
The poet is listed as "anonymous," and the composer's name has not come down to us. The text gives the author as "yomibito mo," but it is treated here as anonymous.

The first line, "Natsumushi no," names the summer insect that flies into the flame and burns. 209 of this book also places "natsumushi no" in its third line, singing of a love that overflows the body.
The second line, "mi o takisutete," means "burning its body away," describing the insect flying into the fire.
In the third line, "tama" means the soul, "shi" is an emphatic particle, and "ba" marks a supposition: "if only the soul remained."
The fourth line, "ware to manebamu," means "I would follow of my own accord," with "mu" expressing intention.
The last line, "hitome moru mi zo," means "a self that ever watches for others' eyes," with "zo" working as a sentence-final particle of strong assertion.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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