Kumori nō kagami no ue ni iru chiri o me ni tatete miru yo to omowaba ya

曇りなう鏡の上にゐる塵を
目に立てて見る世と思はばや

Roma-ji: Kumori nō kagami no ue ni iru chiri o me ni tatete miru yo to omowaba ya
English Translation: On a mirror clear,
without a cloud, there it lies,
a single speck of dust;
as such a thing to gaze at
I would think of this whole world.
Meaning: Just as one notices a speck of dust resting on a mirror without a cloud, so I would like to see this world as something held up before a clear mind.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 717

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Miscellany"
Just as one fixes one's eyes on a speck of dust resting on a cloudless mirror, the poet wishes to see the world in that way. The cloudless mirror stands for a clear mind, and the poem holds the wish to see the world as no more than a small speck of dust upon it.

First line, “kumori nō”: a sound change of kumori naku, without a cloud.
Second line, “kagami no ue ni”: upon the face of the mirror, a figure for the clear mind.
Third line, “iru chiri o”: iru is to rest upon; the tiny speck of dust on the mirror.
Fourth line, “me ni tatete miru”: to fix one's eyes on it and look closely.
Fifth line, “yo to omowaba ya”: baya expresses a wish, I would like to think of the world so.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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