Moehatete hai to narinan toki ni koso hito o omoi no yamamu go ni seme - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

燃えはてて灰となりなん時にこそ
人をおもひのやまむ期にせめ

Roma-ji: Moehatete hai to narinan toki ni koso hito o omoi no yamamu go ni seme
English Translation: When I have burned out
and turned to ash at the last,
only at that time
shall the fire of my longing
for you come to its ending.
Meaning: Only when I have burned out and crumbled into ash shall the fire of my longing for you finally come to an end.
Commentary: Book Fifteen Love Poems V 929

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
The poem says that only when I have burned out and turned to ash shall the fire of my love for that person come to its end. It entrusts to burning fire and ash a fierce resolve that love will not die out until death.

First line, "moehatete," means "burned out completely," of the self consumed by the fire of love.
Second line, "hai to narinan," means "and turned to ash," with "na" the irrealis of the perfective "nu" and "n" conjectural.
Third line, "toki ni koso," means "only at that time," with the binding particle "koso" forming a kakari-musubi with "me" in the final line.
Fourth line, "hito o omoi no," means "of my longing for that person," with the "hi" of "omoi" a pivot word joining "hi," fire. It forms associated words with "moe," burning, and "hai," ash. It shares the conceit of love as fire with 962, 971, and 972 in this book.
Final line, "yamamu go ni seme," means "let that be the time it ceases," with "go" meaning the final moment. "Me" is the realis of the volitional "mu," concluding "koso" in the third line.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Shui Wakashu
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