Nagori sae hodonaku sugiba kanashi yo ni nanuka no kazu o kasanezu mogana

名残さへほどなく過ぎばかなし世に
七日の数を重ねずもがな

Roma-ji: Nagori sae hodonaku sugiba kanashi yo ni nanuka no kazu o kasanezu mogana
English Translation: If even the trace
of her should soon pass away,
how sad, in this world;
would that we need not pile up
the count of the seven days.
Meaning: If even what remains of her should soon pass away, how sad; would that we did not have to add up the count of the seven-day rites in this world.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 825

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "After the death of the Second Rank Lady of the Retired Emperor, when people composed ten poems"
This is the ninth of the ten. Rites are held every seventh day after a death, ending on the forty-ninth, and with each one the trace of the departed fades. If even that trace should soon pass, how sad; would that we did not have to pile up the count of seven days, the poet says, resisting the passage of time.

First line, “nagori sae”: nagori is the lingering trace of the departed; sae, even.
Second line, “hodonaku sugiba”: if it soon passes away.
Third line, “kanashi yo ni”: it is sad, in this world, running on from the second line as 'sugiba kanashi.'
Fourth line, “nanuka no kazu o”: the count of the rites held every seventh day.
Fifth line, “kasanezu mogana”: mogana expresses a wish, would that we did not add to it.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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