Hisashikare ada ni chiru na to sakurabana kame ni saseredo utsuroinikeri - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

久しかれあだに散るなと桜花
瓶に挿せれど移ろひにけり

Roma-ji: Hisashikare ada ni chiru na to sakurabana kame ni saseredo utsuroinikeri
English Translation: "Last long, do not fall,
do not scatter all in vain,"
so these cherry blossoms
I set within a vase, and yet
already they have faded.
Meaning: "Last long, do not scatter in vain," I said, setting the cherry blossoms in a vase, and yet they have already faded.
Commentary: Book Sixteen Miscellaneous Spring Poems 1054

Headnote: "When sending flowers arranged in a vase to the daughter of Prince Atsuyoshi, Minister of Ceremonial, born to Ise, who lived nearby"
The poet says that he put the cherry blossoms in a vase, bidding them last long and not scatter in vain, yet they have faded. The headnote shows it was composed when sending flowers arranged in a vase to the daughter of Prince Atsuyoshi born to Ise, who was living nearby. Telling how the wish to keep the blossoms long proved vain, it conveys their fleetingness while still sharing feeling through the flowers sent.
The author, Ki no Tsurayuki, was the leading compiler of the Kokinshū, wrote its kana preface and the Tosa Diary. He is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets. The daughter of Prince Atsuyoshi born to Ise is the poet Nakatsukasa.

First line, "hisashikare," means "last long," the imperative of the adjective "hisashi." The poem breaks after this first line.
Second line, "ada ni chiru na to," means "do not scatter in vain," with "na" a final particle of prohibition.
Third line, "sakurabana," means "the cherry blossoms."
Fourth line, "kame ni saseredo," means "though I set them in a vase," with "re" the perfective form of the auxiliary "ri" and "do" a concessive particle.
Final line, "utsuroinikeri," means "they have faded," with "ni" perfective and "keri" exclamatory. It tells of a result that runs against the wish of the first and second lines.
Author: Ki no Tsurayuki
Source: Shui Wakashu
Prev Poem: Ushirometa ikade kaeran yamazakura akanu nioi o kaze ni makasete
Next Poem: Tonomori no tomo no miyatsuko kokoro araba kono haru bakari asagiyome su na