Konu hito o shita ni machitsutsu hisakata no tsuki o aware to iwanu yo zo naki - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

来ぬ人を下に待ちつつ久方の
月をあはれと言はぬ夜ぞなき

Roma-ji: Konu hito o shita ni machitsutsu hisakata no tsuki o aware to iwanu yo zo naki
English Translation: In my heart I wait
for the one who does not come,
and of the moon
in the far heavens, no night
passes but I call it fair.
Meaning: Secretly waiting in my heart for one who does not come, there is no night when I do not call the moon in the far heavens lovely.
Commentary: Book Eighteen Miscellaneous Congratulatory Poems 1195

Headnote: "Composed by imperial command in the eighth month of Engi 17"
The poet says that, secretly waiting at heart for one who does not come, there is no night when she does not call the moon lovely. The headnote shows it was composed by imperial command in the eighth month of Engi 17. Saying "aware" while gazing at the moon is outwardly praise of the moon, yet it is also a sigh of longing for one who does not come, and the poem expresses a hidden love through moon viewing. Following the preceding poem, 1194, it sings of waiting for one who does not visit.
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.

First line, "konu hito o," means "the one who does not come," speaking of a lover who does not visit. It shares the theme of an absent partner with the first line of the preceding poem, 1194, "kimi towade."
Second line, "shita ni machitsutsu," means "secretly waiting in my heart," with "shita" the hidden inner heart and "tsutsu" expressing continuation.
Third line, "hisakata no," is a pillow word leading to "tsuki," moon.
Fourth line, "tsuki o aware to," means "calling the moon lovely," with "aware" also carrying the sigh of weary waiting.
Final line, "iwanu yo zo naki," means "there is no night I do not say it," with the binding particle "zo" resolved by "naki," the attributive form of the adjective "nashi." The double negative stresses that it is every night.
Author: Ki no Tsurayuki
Source: Shui Wakashu
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