Sazanami ya Shiga no hanazono miru tabi ni mukashi no hito no kokoro o zo shiru - Senzai Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

さざなみや志賀の花園見るたびに
昔の人の心をぞ知る

Roma-ji: Sazanami ya Shiga no hanazono miru tabi ni mukashi no hito no kokoro o zo shiru
English Translation: Sazanami's
flower gardens of Shiga,
each time I see them,
I come to understand the hearts
of the people of old
Meaning: Each time I see the flower gardens of Shiga by the rippling waters, I understand the hearts of the people of long ago.
Commentary: Book One Spring Poems I 67

Headnote: "Composed when people composed poems for the Hie Shrine poetry contest"
Composed when people wrote poems for a contest dedicated to the Hie Shrine, this poem says that each time the poet sees the beautiful flower gardens of Shiga, he understands the hearts of those who long ago made this land their capital, choosing it because they loved these blossoms. Where the preceding poem contrasted the ruined capital with the unchanging cherries, this one feels kinship with people of the past through the cherries.
The author, "Hafuribe no Sukune Narinaka," is Hafuribe no Narinaka, a priest who served as negi of the Hie Shrine. He lived to a great age and took part in many poetry contests.

First line, "sazanami ya": a pillow word introducing "Shiga," the same first line as the preceding poem, 66.
Second line, "Shiga no hanazono": the flower gardens of the Shiga region.
Third line, "miru tabi ni": "each time I see them."
Fourth line, "mukashi no hito no": the people of the days when Shiga was the capital. It echoes "mukashi nagara no" in the preceding poem, 66, so the two poems together recall Shiga's past.
Fifth line, "kokoro o zo shiru": "zo" closes with the attributive "shiru": "I understand well the hearts that loved this land."
Author: Hafuribe no Narinaka
Source: Senzai Wakashu
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