Ideshi yori miezu narinishi tsukikage wa mata yama no ha ni iri ya shiniken - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

出でしより見えずなりにし月影は
又山の端に入りやしにけん

Roma-ji: Ideshi yori miezu narinishi tsukikage wa mata yama no ha ni iri ya shiniken
English Translation: The moonlight that
has not been seen at all
since it went away—
could it be that once again
it has sunk behind the hills
Meaning: The moonlight that has vanished from sight since it left me—has it gone back once more behind the rim of the mountains?
Commentary: Book Ten Love Poems II 693

Headnote: "After a long absence a man came and sent word in that, because of her cruelty, he had spent twelve years in mountain retreat and so had not written for so long; she called him in, talked with him, and sent him home, but again she heard nothing from him."
The poet asks whether the moonlight, which has not been seen since it left, has gone back behind the mountain rim. Likening to the moon a man who came after a long absence and then fell silent again, she asks with irony whether he has gone back into mountain retreat.
According to the headnote, after a long absence the man came and sent word that her cruelty had driven him to twelve years of mountain retreat, which was why he had not written; she called him in, talked with him, and sent him back, but again he sent no word. The next poem, 694, is the man's reply.
The poet is listed as "anonymous," and the composer's name has not come down to us.

The first line, "Ideshi yori," means "since it went out," layering the moon's rising with the man's departure.
The second line, "miezu narinishi," means "that has disappeared from view."
The third line, "tsukikage wa," means "the moonlight," a figure for the man.
The fourth line, "mata yama no ha ni," means "again behind the mountain rim," echoing the "mountain retreat" of the headnote.
The last line, "iri ya shiniken," means "has it gone in?" with "ya" an interrogative particle closing with the attributive "ken," a kakarimusubi pattern. The next poem, 694, answers with "iramahoshikere."
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
Prev Poem: Kusamakura kono tabi hetsuru toshitsuki no uki wa kaerite ureshikaranan
Next Poem: Ashihiki no yama ni ou chō morokazura morotomo ni koso iramahoshikere