Ame furedo furanedo nururu waga sode no kakaru omoi ni kawakanu ya nazo - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

雨降れど降らねど濡るる我が袖の
かかるおもひに乾かぬやなぞ

Roma-ji: Ame furedo furanedo nururu waga sode no kakaru omoi ni kawakanu ya nazo
English Translation: Whether it rains or not,
these sleeves of mine are always wet—
why is it that they
do not dry, though I am burning
in such a fire of longing
Meaning: Rain or no rain, my sleeves are always wet. Why is it they will not dry, though I burn with such a fire of longing?
Commentary: Book Thirteen Love Poems V 973

Headnote: "Sent to someone on a rainy day."
The poet asks why his sleeves, wet whether it rains or not, do not dry even in so great a fire of longing. Setting sleeves wet with tears against the heat of love's fire, he says his tears are so many that even burning love cannot dry them.
According to the headnote, it was sent to someone on a rainy day. The next poem, 974, is the reply, taking up the words sleeves, drying and fire of longing. The device of drying in love's fire also links it to the exchange about the wet robe in 955 and 956 in this book.
The poet is listed as anonymous, and the composer's name has not come down to us.

The first line, "Ame furedo," means "though it rains."
The second line, "furanedo nururu," means "though it does not, they are wet," paired with the first line to show sleeves always wet with tears.
The third line, "waga sode no," means "my sleeves."
The fourth line, "kakaru omoi ni," means "in such a fire of longing," with "hi" in "omoi" joining "hi," fire.
The last line, "kawakanu ya nazo," means "why do they not dry," "nazo" being a contraction of "nani zo."
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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