Ima shibashi soradanome ni mo nagusamete omoitaenuru yoi no tamazusa - Senzai Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

今しばし空頼めにも慰めて
思ひ絶えぬる宵の玉梓

Roma-ji: Ima shibashi soradanome ni mo nagusamete omoitaenuru yoi no tamazusa
English Translation: For a little while
I had comforted my heart
with an empty pledge,
but now all hope is gone with
the letter come at nightfall
Meaning: For a little while longer I had been comforting myself with empty promises, until the letter that came at nightfall put an end to all my hope.
Commentary: Book Twelve Love Poems II 777

Headnote: "Composed on the topic 'Love that breaks its promise as the hour arrives' at the courtiers' poetry contest at the Hōjūji Palace"
Composed at the courtiers' poetry contest at the Hōjūji Palace on the topic "Love that breaks its promise as the hour arrives," that is, a love that goes back on its word when the appointed time comes. For a little while I comforted myself even with empty hopes, he says, but the letter at nightfall has ended all hope. Though half fearing the lover would not come, he waited, comforted by the promise, until a letter arrived at nightfall calling off the visit, and the poem expresses his despair at hope cut off.
The author, "Provisional Middle Counselor Michichika," is Minamoto no Michichika. The son of Palace Minister Minamoto no Masamichi, he later rose to Palace Minister and was called the Tsuchimikado Palace Minister. Under the retired-emperor rule of Go-Toba, he held real power at court.
The three poems from this one to 779 at the end of the book were all composed at the same courtiers' contest at the Hōjūji Palace on the topic "Love that breaks its promise as the hour arrives." "Omoitae" in the fourth line uses the same word as "omoitaetaru" in 749.

First line, "ima shibashi": "for a little while longer."
Second line, "soradanome ni mo": "soradanome" is an unreliable promise, a hope that cannot be trusted.
Third line, "nagusamete": "comforting my heart."
Fourth line, "omoitaenuru": "nuru" is the attributive of the perfective "nu," "which has ended my hope." It uses the same word as "omoitaetaru" in the fourth line of 749 of this book.
Fifth line, "yoi no tamazusa": "tamazusa" means a letter, here one arriving at nightfall that breaks the promise. The poem ends on a noun.
Author: Minamoto no Michichika
Source: Senzai Wakashu
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