Hashitaka no togaeru yama no shiishiba no hagae wa su tomo kimi wa kaeseji - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

はし鷹のとがへる山の椎柴の
葉替へはすとも君は替へせじ

Roma-ji: Hashitaka no togaeru yama no shiishiba no hagae wa su tomo kimi wa kaeseji
English Translation: Where the sparrow hawk
renews its feathers on the hill,
the oak trees there
may change their leaves, but you, my love,
I never will exchange.
Meaning: Though the oak thickets on the hill where the sparrow hawk molts its feathers may change their leaves, I will never change you for another.
Commentary: Book Nineteen Miscellaneous Love Poems 1230

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The poet says that though the oak thickets on the hill where the sparrow hawk molts may change their leaves, he will never change his love. Bringing up the hawk's molting feathers and even the evergreen oak changing its leaves, he vows that among all things that change, his own heart alone will go on loving unchanged. Repeating "kae," change, he sets out his unchanging heart with force.

First line, "hashitaka no," means "of the sparrow hawk," a small hawk.
Second line, "togaeru yama no," means "of the hill where it molts," "togaeru" meaning a hawk's feathers being renewed.
Third line, "shiishiba no," means "of the oak thicket." Up to here the lines form a preface leading to "hagae" in the fourth line.
Fourth line, "hagae wa su tomo," means "though they may change their leaves," with "tomo" a concessive supposition. It takes up "kae" from "togaeru" in the second line, piling up the sound.
Final line, "kimi wa kaeseji," means "you I will not change," with "ji" negative volition. Against "hagae" in the fourth line, he vows that his heart will not change.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Shui Wakashu
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