Urayamashi asahi ni ataru shiratsuyu o waga mi to ima wa nasu yoshi mo kana - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

うらやまし朝日に当たる白露を
我が身と今はなすよしもかな

Roma-ji: Urayamashi asahi ni ataru shiratsuyu o waga mi to ima wa nasu yoshi mo kana
English Translation: How I envy it,
the white dew that in the morning
sun shines and is gone;
if only there were a way
to make myself that dew now.
Meaning: How I envy the white dew that vanishes in the morning sun; if only there were some way to make myself that dew now.
Commentary: Book Thirteen Love Poems III 834

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The poem envies the white dew that vanishes when struck by the morning sun, and wishes there were a way to make oneself that dew now. In the depths of love's suffering, it sings of a heart wishing to vanish like the fleeting white dew.

First line, "urayamashi," means "how I envy," with a caesura after the first line.
Second line, "asahi ni ataru," means "struck by the morning sun and vanishing."
Third line, "shiratsuyu o," means "the white dew." Following 831 and 832, it sings of dew, sharing white dew with the third line of the next poem, 835, "shiratsuyu no."
Fourth line, "waga mi to ima wa," means "into myself now." It shares the conceit of wishing to exchange oneself for something with the second line of 793, "waga mi ni kauru."
Final line, "nasu yoshi mo kana," means "if only there were a way to make it so," with "mogana" expressing a wish.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Shui Wakashu
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