Yo o somuku kokoro bakari wa ariake no tsukisenu yami wa kimi ni haruken

世を背く心ばかりはありあけの
つきせぬ闇は君に晴るけん

Roma-ji: Yo o somuku kokoro bakari wa ariake no tsukisenu yami wa kimi ni haruken
English Translation: The heart to turn from
the world, that much there is;
but like the dawn moon,
this unending darkness, by
you I hope to see it cleared.
Meaning: Only the heart to turn from the world is there in me; this darkness that never ends, like the dawn moon that will not set, I will ask you to clear away.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 743

Headnote: "Reply"
This is the reply from the person named in the preceding headnote, the one who seemed not entirely without thought for the life to come. The heart to turn from the world is there, but the unending darkness of delusion I will ask you to clear away, the writer says, relying on Saigyō's guidance and taking up ariake and darkness from the preceding poem.

First line, “yo o somuku”: to turn from the world, to take vows.
Second line, “kokoro bakari wa”: bakari limits, only the heart.
Third line, “ariake no”: ariake is a pivot word joining ari, having a heart, and the dawn moon, taking up the second line of the preceding poem; the dawn moon leads to tsuki in the next line.
Fourth line, “tsukisenu yami wa”: tsuki is a pivot word joining the moon and coming to an end; a darkness that never ends.
Fifth line, “kimi ni haruken”: haruku is to clear away; I will have you clear it.
Source: Sankashu
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