Kienu beki tsuyu no inochi mo kimi ga tou koto no ha ni koso okiirarekere

消えぬべき露の命も君が問ふ
言の葉にこそ起きゐられけれ

Roma-ji: Kienu beki tsuyu no inochi mo kimi ga tou koto no ha ni koso okiirarekere
English Translation: Even this dew-life,
about to fade and vanish,
by your words of kindness,
calling on me, could rise up
and keep itself awake.
Meaning: Even this dewdrop life, about to vanish, was able to rise and stay awake, thanks to the words with which you called on me.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 920

Headnote: "In reply when, in autumn, I had called on someone suffering from a cold"
In autumn Saigyō called on someone suffering from a cold, and this poem came in reply from that person, whose name is not given. Even this dewdrop life, about to vanish, could rise and stay awake thanks to your words of concern, the writer says in gratitude for the visit.

First line, “kienu beki”: about to vanish.
Second line, “tsuyu no inochi mo”: even a life as fleeting as dew.
Third line, “kimi ga tou”: with which you called on me.
Fourth line, “koto no ha ni koso”: koto no ha is words, its ha, leaf, related to dew; koso is answered by kere in the fifth line.
Fifth line, “okiirarekere”: oki echoes the dew's settling, oku; I could rise and stay awake.
Source: Sankashu
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