Naki hito o shinobu omoi no nagusamaba ato o mo chitabi toi koso wa seme

亡き人を偲ぶ思ひの慰まば
跡をも千たび訪ひこそはせめ

Roma-ji: Naki hito o shinobu omoi no nagusamaba ato o mo chitabi toi koso wa seme
English Translation: If the longing for
the one now gone could only
be consoled that way,
I would call on what he left
a thousand times and more.
Meaning: If grieving for the departed could be eased that way, I would call on what he left behind a thousand times.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 841

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Reply"
This is Saigyō's fourth reply, answering 836. If longing for the departed could be eased, I would call on what he left behind a thousand times, he says, meaning that since visiting would not console the grief, he chose not to come.

First line, “naki hito o”: the late Sōkū.
Second line, “shinobu omoi no”: the longing for him.
Third line, “nagusamaba”: if it could be consoled, a condition.
Fourth line, “ato o mo chitabi”: what he left behind, a thousand times, taking up 'ato no aware wa towazu tomo' in 836.
Fifth line, “toi koso wa seme”: koso is answered by the perfective me; I would call, but.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
Prev Poem: Hedate naki nori no kotoba ni tayori ete hachisu no tsuyu ni aware kakuran
Next Poem: Minori oba kotoba nakeredo toku to kikeba fukaki aware wa towade koso omoe