Mono omoeba sode ni nagaruru namidagawa ika naru mio ni ause narinan

物思へば袖に流るる涙川
いかなるみをに逢ふ瀬なりなん

Roma-ji: Mono omoeba sode ni nagaruru namidagawa ika naru mio ni ause narinan
English Translation: Since I brood on love,
the river of tears that flows
down along my sleeves,
by what channel of this self
will it reach a meeting ford?
Meaning: This river of tears that flows on my sleeves as I brood over love, by what channel will it find a ford where I may meet you?
Commentary: Love Poems 663

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Love"
Where will the river of tears flowing on his sleeves from the brooding of love find its way, by what channel, to a ford where he may meet his beloved? Mio joins a river's channel with mi o, oneself, and se, a ford, is associated with the river of tears, so that the poet asks of the river's course when the day of meeting will come.
Following the two preceding poems in likening tears to a river, this one seeks a meeting at the end of the river's flow, so that three poems are linked by the river of tears.

First line, “mono omoeba”: since I brood over love.
Second line, “sode ni nagaruru”: flowing on my sleeves.
Third line, “namidagawa”: a river of tears, continuing from the two preceding poems.
Fourth line, “ika naru mio ni”: mio is a pivot word joining a river's channel with mi o, myself.
Fifth line, “ause narinan”: ause is a chance for lovers to meet, its se, ford, associated with the river; nan is conjecture: will it become a meeting?
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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