Aware shiru sora mo kokoro no arikereba namida ni ame o souru narikeri

あはれ知る空も心のありければ
涙に雨を添ふるなりけり

Roma-ji: Aware shiru sora mo kokoro no arikereba namida ni ame o souru narikeri
English Translation: The sky too, knowing
what sorrow is, has a heart,
and so it is that
to the tears that we are shedding
it adds its falling rain.
Meaning: The sky too, knowing sorrow, has a heart, and so it adds its rain to our tears.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 829

Headnote: "On the same day, as evening came on, the rain fell, darkening everything"
On the same day that everyone parted, as evening came on, rain fell and darkened all around, and the poet composed this. The sky too, knowing sorrow, has a heart, and so adds its rain to the people's tears, he says, as though even the sky grieves at the parting.

First line, “aware shiru”: knowing the sorrow of things.
Second line, “sora mo kokoro no”: the sky too has a heart, the sky seen as a person.
Third line, “arikereba”: since it had, giving the reason.
Fourth line, “namida ni ame o”: rain added to the tears, taking up the darkening rain of the headnote.
Fifth line, “souru narikeri”: narikeri marks realization; so it adds its rain.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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