Tsuki matsu to iinasaretsuru yoi no ma no kokoro no iro o sode ni mienuru

月待つと言ひなされつる宵の間の
心の色を袖に見えぬる

Roma-ji: Tsuki matsu to iinasaretsuru yoi no ma no kokoro no iro o sode ni mienuru
English Translation: 'Waiting for the moon,'
that was what I said it was,
but in evening hours
the true color of my heart
has been seen upon my sleeves.
Meaning: I told everyone I was waiting for the moon, but the true color of my heart in those early evening hours has been seen in my tear-wet sleeves.
Commentary: Love Poems 616

Headnote: "The moon"
In the text the headnote is written 'Love: the moon,' showing that a group of poems on the topic of the moon is gathered within the love section. From this poem through 652, thirty-seven poems follow that sing of love through the moon, and this is the first of them. The poet has passed off his gazing out in the early evening as waiting for the moon, but in truth it was a heart waiting for his beloved, and this has been seen by others in the color of the tears that wet his sleeves.

First line, “tsuki matsu to”: that I am waiting for the moon.
Second line, “iinasaretsuru”: iinasu is to say something as if it were so, to make an excuse.
Third line, “yoi no ma no”: the early hours of night, the time of waiting for a lover's visit.
Fourth line, “kokoro no iro o”: the color of the heart, the heart waiting for the beloved.
Fifth line, “sode ni mienuru”: it has been seen in my sleeves, the hidden love revealed by tears.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
Prev Poem: Amakudaru kami no shirushi no arinashi o tsurenaki hito no yukue nite min
Next Poem: Shirazariki kumoi no yoso ni mishi tsuki no kage o tamoto ni yadosu beshi to wa