Yo no naka o kaku iiii no hatehate wa ika ni ya ika ni naramu to suran - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

世の中をかく言ひ言ひの果て果ては
いかにやいかにならむとすらん

Roma-ji: Yo no naka o kaku iiii no hatehate wa ika ni ya ika ni naramu to suran
English Translation: This world of ours,
so we say, and say again,
and in the very end,
what, oh what will it become,
what will become of us all?
Meaning: We go on saying such things about this world, but in the very end, what, oh what, will become of it all?
Commentary: Book Twenty Lament Poems 1314

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The poet asks what will become of things at the very end, after saying such things of the world again and again. Speaking of impermanence each time someone dies, yet knowing that one too will come to that end, the poet puts unease about what lies ahead into the rhythm of repeated words.

First line, "yo no naka o," means "this world."
Second line, "kaku iiii no," means "saying so again and again," repeating "ii" to show the words said over and over.
Third line, "hatehate wa," means "at the very end," repeating "hate."
Fourth line, "ika ni ya ika ni," means "how, oh how," repeating "ika ni" to deepen the anxiety over what is to come.
Final line, "naramu to suran," means "will it come to be," with "ran" the auxiliary of present conjecture. The words repeated from the second to the fourth lines convey thoughts that do not end.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Shui Wakashu
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