Azumaji no ko no shitakuraku nariyukaba miyako no tsuki o koizarame ya wa - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

東路の木のしたくらくなりゆかば
都の月を恋ひざらめやは

Roma-ji: Azumaji no ko no shitakuraku nariyukaba miyako no tsuki o koizarame ya wa
English Translation: Along the east road,
when the shade beneath the trees
grows deep and dark,
how could you help but long
for the moon above the capital?
Meaning: As you go along the eastern road and it grows dark beneath the trees, how could you not long for the moon of the capital?
Commentary: Book Six Parting Poems 340

Headnote: "When Sanekata Ason was going down to Mutsu, on sending him a saddle cloth"
The poet says that as his friend proceeds along the eastern road and it grows dark beneath the trees, he will surely long for the moon of the capital. Playing on "shitakura," the saddle cloth given as a parting gift, and "shita kuraku," dark beneath, he thinks of his friend's lonely road to Mutsu and wishes that he not forget the capital. According to the headnote, it was composed as he sent a saddle cloth to Fujiwara no Sanekata when Sanekata was going down to Mutsu as governor.
The author, called Kintō, Intendant of the Right Gate Guards, is Fujiwara no Kintō. A son of the Regent Fujiwara no Yoritada, he rose to Provisional Major Counselor. He compiled the Wakan Rōeishū and was known as the foremost man of culture of his day, excelling in poetry, prose, and music.

First line, "azumaji no," means "of the road to the East."
Second line, "ko no shitakuraku," means "dark beneath the trees," playing on "shitakura," the saddle cloth given as a gift, and "shita kuraku," dark beneath.
Third line, "nariyukaba," means "if it grows so," the irrealis form with "ba" expressing a supposition.
Fourth line, "miyako no tsuki o," means "the moon seen in the capital." 319 of this book warned against lingering under the moon of Sarashina on the road, while here the traveler longs from the road for the moon of the capital, so the moon of the road and the moon of the capital form a pair.
Final line, "koizarame ya wa," means "how could you not long for it," with "ya wa" expressing a rhetorical question.
Author: Fujiwara no Kintō
Source: Shui Wakashu
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