Teru tsuki no aki shimo koto ni sayakeki wa chiru momijiba o yoru mo miyo to ka - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

照る月の秋しもことにさやけきは
散る紅葉葉を夜も見よとか

Roma-ji: Teru tsuki no aki shimo koto ni sayakeki wa chiru momijiba o yoru mo miyo to ka
English Translation: That the shining moon
should be so especially clear
in autumn of all times—
is it telling us to watch
the falling leaves by night as well
Meaning: Is the shining moon so especially clear in autumn of all times to bid us watch the falling leaves by night as well?
Commentary: Book Seven Autumn Poems III 428

Headnote: "Topic unknown."
The poet asks whether the shining moon is so especially bright and clear in autumn of all times in order to have us watch the falling leaves by night too. It explains the brightness of the autumn moon as a means of letting one cherish the scattering leaves into the night.
401 of this book also sings of leaves falling on a moonlit night. From the color of leaves in the preceding poem, this one moves to leaves lit by the moon.
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."

The first line, "Teru tsuki no," means "the shining moon."
In the second line, "shimo" is an emphatic particle: "in autumn of all times, especially." 426 of this book also places "aki shimo" in its second line.
The third line, "sayakeki wa," means "that it is so clear and bright."
The fourth line, "chiru momijiba o," means "the falling leaves."
In the last line, "to ka" means "is it saying": "is it telling us to watch them by night too?"
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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