Ashihiki no yama kakikumori shigururedo momiji wa itodo teri masarikeri - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

あしひきの山かき曇り時雨るれど
紅葉はいとど照りまさりけり

Roma-ji: Ashihiki no yama kakikumori shigururedo momiji wa itodo teri masarikeri
English Translation: On the mountain slopes
the sky grows dark with clouds and
cold showers come down,
yet the colored autumn leaves
shine more brightly than before.
Meaning: Though the mountains are clouded over and cold showers fall, the autumn leaves only shine all the more brightly.
Commentary: Book Four Winter Poems 215

Headnote: "In the Engi era, for a folding screen celebrating the long life of the Principal Handmaid"
Even when the mountains are darkened with clouds and cold showers fall, the autumn leaves shine all the more brightly. Setting the dark sky against the bright color of the leaves, the poem praises the beauty of foliage that deepens in color as the showers dye it. According to the headnote, it was written for a folding screen celebrating the long life of the Principal Handmaid in the Engi era of Emperor Daigo; this Principal Handmaid is thought to be Fujiwara no Mitsuko. Fitting for a celebratory screen, it sings of leaves that, far from fading, shine ever more brightly.

First line, "ashihiki no," is a pillow word modifying "yama" (mountain).
Second line, "yama kakikumori," means "the mountains clouding over," with "kaki" an intensifying prefix. Together with the first line of 217 in this book, "kakikurashi," it depicts the dark sky that brings the showers.
Third line, "shigururedo," means "though cold showers fall," with "do" a concessive particle.
Fourth line, "momiji wa itodo," means "the autumn leaves all the more." Showers were thought to dye the leaves, and the brightness of the foliage stands out under the dark sky.
Final line, "teri masarikeri," means "how they shine ever brighter," with "keri" an auxiliary of exclamation. Taking up 214 at the end of Book Three, which saw autumn off with frost on the hair cord, the head of the winter book holds on to the lingering trace of autumn in leaves that still shine brightly. It answers 262 at the end of this book, which closes in joy at spring arriving tomorrow, so that the head and end of the book correspond.
Author: Ki no Tsurayuki
Source: Shui Wakashu
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