Mi no usa no omoishiraruru kotowari ni osaerarenu wa namida narikeri

身の憂さの思ひ知らるることわりに
おさへられぬは涙なりけり

Roma-ji: Mi no usa no omoishiraruru kotowari ni osaerarenu wa namida narikeri
English Translation: Though the pain of this
self of mine comes home to me,
for all of that reason,
what cannot be held back, I find,
are these tears that fall.
Meaning: Though I know full well the reason, my own unworthy lot, what that reason cannot hold back, I find, are my tears.
Commentary: Love Poems 668

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Love"
The poet understands well the reason his love goes unanswered: it is because of his own unworthy self. Even so, what that reason cannot hold back are the tears that overflow. The poem expresses the pain of a love in which the heart will not obey even when the mind accepts the reason.

First line, “mi no usa no”: usa is pain, the pain of one's own lowly lot.
Second line, “omoishiraruru”: ruru is spontaneous: it comes home to me of itself.
Third line, “kotowari ni”: kotowari is reason: even by that reason.
Fourth line, “osaerarenu wa”: what cannot be held back.
Fifth line, “namida narikeri”: narikeri marks realization: it is my tears.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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