Ominaeshi niou sakari o miru toki zo waga oiraku wa kuyashikarikeru - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

女郎花匂ふ盛りを見る時ぞ
わが老いらくはくやしかりける

Roma-ji: Ominaeshi niou sakari o miru toki zo waga oiraku wa kuyashikarikeru
English Translation: When I behold
the maiden flowers in their bloom
of glowing beauty,
it is then my growing old
fills me with such regret
Meaning: It is when I see the maiden flowers in the full glow of their bloom that I most regret having grown old.
Commentary: Book Six Autumn Poems II 347

Headnote: "At a place where maiden flowers grew in the garden plantings."
The poet says that it is when seeing the maiden flowers at the height of their glowing bloom that growing old feels most regrettable. Before the maiden flower in its prime, likened to a young woman, the poet laments being no longer young.
According to the headnote, it was composed at a place where maiden flowers bloomed among the garden plantings. 301 of this book likewise laments having grown old, counting in vain the autumns when the bush clover colors.
The poet is listed as "anonymous," and the composer's name has not come down to us.

The first line, "Ominaeshi," means "of the maiden flowers."
The second line, "niou sakari o," means "their height of glowing bloom," recalling "hana no sakari" in 341 of this book.
The third line, "miru toki zo," means "it is when I see," with "zo" an emphatic particle.
In the fourth line, "oiraku" means "growing old, old age."
The last line, "kuyashikarikeru," means "how regrettable it is," with "zo" in the third line and the attributive "keru" forming a kakarimusubi pattern.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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