Kage mireba hikari naki o mo koromo nuu ito o mo nado ka yoru to iu ran - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

影見れば光なきをも衣縫ふ
糸をもなどかよるといふらん

Roma-ji: Kage mireba hikari naki o mo koromo nuu ito o mo nado ka yoru to iu ran
English Translation: When I see the shades,
the time that is without light,
and the thread as well
that sews our robes, why is it
we say "yoru" of them both?
Meaning: The lightless time when we see only shadows, and the thread with which we sew our robes: why is it that we call both of them "yoru"?
Commentary: Book Nine Miscellaneous Poems II 520

Headnote: "Asking again"
The poet asks why entirely different things are called by the same word, "yoru," as the lightless night is called "yoru" and twisting thread to sew a robe is also "yoru." Following "akashi" in the earlier question, 518, he takes up the puzzle of words that share the same sound.
The author, written as "Korehira," is Fujiwara no Korehira. A son of Fujiwara no Toshiyuki, he rose to the rank of Consultant.

First line, "kage mireba," means "when I look at the shadows."
Second line, "hikari naki o mo," means "the time without light as well," pointing to night. It lines things up in the same "o mo" form as the second line of the earlier question, 518, "shiroki tsuki o mo."
Third line, "koromo nuu," means "that sews robes," modifying "ito," the thread, in the fourth line.
Fourth line, "ito o mo nado ka," means "and the thread as well, why," with "nado ka" expressing a question that answers "ran" in the final line. It is the same form as the fourth line of the earlier question, 518, "iro o mo nado ka."
Final line, "yoru to iu ran," means "do we call them yoru," with "yoru" a pivot word on "night" and "twisting" thread. The fourth line of 555 in this book, "yoru hito mo naki," also uses "yoru" with the sense of twisting thread alongside the white threads of a waterfall, sharing this pairing of thread and "yoru."
Author: Fujiwara no Korehira
Source: Shui Wakashu
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