Saoshika no tsume dani hijinu yamagawa no asamashiki made towanu kimi kana - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

さを鹿の爪だにひちぬ山川の
あさましきまでとはぬ君かな

Roma-ji: Saoshika no tsume dani hijinu yamagawa no asamashiki made towanu kimi kana
English Translation: Like a mountain stream
so shallow that it does not wet
even the stag's hooves,
shallow beyond all belief,
you never come to call.
Meaning: Like a mountain stream so shallow it does not even wet a stag's hooves, you are shallow past belief—you never come to see me.
Commentary: Book Fourteen Love Poems IV 880

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
From the shallowness, "asashi," of a mountain stream so shallow that even a stag's hooves are not wetted, the poem draws out "asamashi," appalling, and laments a lover who appallingly never comes. It turns the concrete image of a shallow stream in the hills into resentment toward one who does not visit.

First line, "saoshika no," means "of the stag," with "sa" a prefix.
Second line, "tsume dani hijinu," means "where even its hooves are not wetted," with "dani" meaning "even" and "nu" the attributive of the negative "zu."
Third line, "yamagawa no," means "of the mountain stream." From the first line to here forms a preface leading, from the stream's shallowness, to "asamashi."
Fourth line, "asamashiki made," means "appallingly," with "asa" a pivot word joining the "shallowness" of the stream and "asamashi." Using the same word as the first line of the next poem, 881, "asamashi ya," it stands beside a poem that likewise draws "asamashi" from the image of shallow water.
Final line, "towanu kimi kana," means "you who do not come," with "kana" expressing exclamation.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Shui Wakashu
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