Tsukihateshi sono iriai no hodonasa o kono akatsuki ni omoishirinuru

つき果てしその入相のほどなさを
この暁に思ひ知りぬる

Roma-ji: Tsukihateshi sono iriai no hodonasa o kono akatsuki ni omoishirinuru
English Translation: How brief was the time
from that evening bell's last stroke,
struck out to its end,
I have come to know at last
here in this hour of dawn.
Meaning: How short the time was, from the evening bell that was struck to its end, to the ending of life, I have come to know at this dawn.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 770

Headnote: "On impermanence at dawn"
The topic is the thought of impermanence at dawn. How short the time from the evening bell, struck to its end, to the end of life, the poet has come to know at this dawn. It speaks of the frailty of life, as when one alive in the evening is gone by dawn.

First line, “tsukihateshi”: tsuki is a pivot word joining the striking of the bell and the ending of life.
Second line, “sono iriai no”: iriai is the hour of sunset and the bell struck then.
Third line, “hodonasa o”: how little time there was.
Fourth line, “kono akatsuki ni”: at this dawn, answering the topic and set against the evening of the second line.
Fifth line, “omoishirinuru”: I have come to know it.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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