Kon yo ni mo kakaru tsuki o shi miru beku wa inochi o oshimu hito nakaramashi

来ん世にもかかる月をし見るべくは
命を惜しむ人なからまし

Roma-ji: Kon yo ni mo kakaru tsuki o shi miru beku wa inochi o oshimu hito nakaramashi
English Translation: If in the world to come
such a moon as this could be
seen once more, there would
not be anyone at all
who clings so dearly to life.
Meaning: If in the world to come one could see such a moon as this, there would be no one who clings to life.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1040

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
If one could see such a moon as this in the world to come, no one would cling to life, the poet says, a thought true to Saigyō's love of the moon: people cling to life because they grieve to lose the beautiful moon of this world.

First line, “kon yo ni mo”: in the world to come as well.
Second line, “kakaru tsuki o shi”: kakaru is such as this; shi is emphatic.
Third line, “miru beku wa”: if one could see it.
Fourth line, “inochi o oshimu”: clinging to life.
Fifth line, “hito nakaramashi”: mashi is counterfactual; there would be no one.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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