Inochi o ba au ni kaen to omoishi o koishinu to dani shirasete shikana - Senzai Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

命をば逢ふに代へんと思ひしを
恋ひ死ぬとだに知らせてしかな

Roma-ji: Inochi o ba au ni kaen to omoishi o koishinu to dani shirasete shikana
English Translation: My life, I once thought,
I would trade to meet with her,
yet as it is now,
that I am dying of my love,
this at least I'd have her know
Meaning: I had meant to give my life in exchange for meeting her; now I only wish she might at least know that I am dying of my love.
Commentary: Book Twelve Love Poems II 734

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
I had thought to trade my life for a meeting, he says, but I wish at least to let her know that I am dying of love. He had resolved to exchange his life for a single meeting, but now, as death seems to approach without even that coming to pass, he wishes she would at least know he dies for love of her, a poignant plea.
The author, "the monk Jakuchō," was the son of Fujiwara no Tametada, Governor of Tango. His lay name was Tametsune, and with his elder brother Jakunen and younger brother Jakuzen he lived in retreat at Ōhara, the three being called the Three Jaku of Ōhara. He was the father of the poet and painter Fujiwara no Takanobu.
Poem 730 of this book also sings of trading life for a meeting, sharing the thought of this poem's upper verse. Poem 725, by contrast, wishes for a meeting not bought with life.

First line, "inochi o ba": "ba" is the voiced form of the particle "wa," emphasizing "my life."
Second line, "au ni kaen to": "n" is the volitional "mu," "to trade it for a meeting." It sings of the same thought as "au koto ni kaen hodo made" in the third and fourth lines of 730 of this book.
Third line, "omoishi o": "o" is an adversative conjunctive particle, "though I had thought."
Fourth line, "koishinu to dani": "dani" expresses a minimal wish, "if only that I die of love."
Fifth line, "shirasete shikana": "teshikana" is a final particle of one's own wish, "how I wish I could let her know."
Author: Jakuchō
Source: Senzai Wakashu
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