Kazashite wa shiraga ni magau ume no hana ima wa izure o nukamu to su ran - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

かざしては白髪にまがふ梅の花
今はいづれを抜かむとすらん

Roma-ji: Kazashite wa shiraga ni magau ume no hana ima wa izure o nukamu to su ran
English Translation: Worn upon the head,
they are mistaken for white hairs,
these blossoms of plum;
which of them, then, are we now
meant to pluck out from among them?
Meaning: Worn in the hair, these plum blossoms are mistaken for white hairs; which of them, then, are we now meant to pluck out?
Commentary: Book Sixteen Miscellaneous Spring Poems 1011

Headnote: "At a musical entertainment in the palace"
The poet jests that once he puts white plum blossoms in his hair they are mistaken for white hairs, so that now he cannot tell which to pluck out. The headnote shows it was composed at a musical entertainment in the palace. Matching the white plum worn as a hair ornament with the white hair of age, it is a witty poem that turns the lament of old age into banquet amusement. The lament of age in the opening poems, 1000 and 1001, is sung here as light laughter.
The author, written as "Korehira the Consultant," is Fujiwara no Korehira. A son of Fujiwara no Toshiyuki, he rose to the rank of Consultant.

First line, "kazashite wa," means "when worn in the hair."
Second line, "shiraga ni magau," means "mistaken for white hairs," likening the whiteness of the plum to white hair.
Third line, "ume no hana," means "the plum blossoms," and the poem breaks after this third line, ending on a noun.
Fourth line, "ima wa izure o," means "now which of them," with "izure" expressing a question that answers "ran" in the final line.
Final line, "nukamu to su ran," means "are we to pluck out," speaking of pulling out white hairs. "Mu" expresses intention and "ran" conjecture.
Author: Fujiwara no Korehira
Source: Shui Wakashu
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