Kyō made to miru ni namida no masukagami narenishi kage o hito ni kataru na - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

今日までと見るに涙のますかがみ
馴れにし影を人に語るな

Roma-ji: Kyō made to miru ni namida no masukagami narenishi kage o hito ni kataru na
English Translation: "Today is the last,"
I think, and my tears increase,
O clear-shining mirror—
do not tell anyone else
of the face you came to know.
Meaning: O clear mirror, as I look into you thinking this is the last day, my tears only increase. Do not tell anyone of the face you have known so long.
Commentary: Book Eight Miscellaneous Poems I 469

Headnote: "Written on the paper wrapping a mirror brought to sell at the house of Ōe no Tamemoto"
Addressing a mirror that makes the tears increase as the owner looks into it for the last time, the poet asks it not to tell anyone of the face it has known so long. The headnote shows the poem was written on the paper wrapping a mirror brought to sell at the house of Ōe no Tamemoto. Calling out to the mirror, it conveys the sorrow of one parting with a mirror used for many years. Ōe no Tamemoto, the author of 434 in this book, appears here in the headnote as the buyer of the mirror.

First line, "kyō made to," means "that today is the last."
Second line, "miru ni namida no," means "as I look, my tears."
Third line, "masukagami," means "clear mirror," with "masu" a pivot word joining the tears that "increase" and "masukagami," a clear-shining mirror. The poem breaks here.
Fourth line, "narenishi kage o," means "the face you have long known," with "kage" the owner's reflection in the mirror.
Final line, "hito ni kataru na," means "do not tell others," with "na" a prohibitive particle, addressing the mirror as a person.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Shui Wakashu
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