Kami no yo mo kawarinikeri to miyuru kana sono kotowaza no arazu naru ni mo

神の世も変はりにけりと見ゆるかな
その事わざのあらずなるにも

Roma-ji: Kami no yo mo kawarinikeri to miyuru kana sono kotowaza no arazu naru ni mo
English Translation: It seems that even
the age of the gods themselves
has changed with the times—
for the rites performed for them
are no longer what they were.
Meaning: It seems that even the age of the gods has changed, for the rites of the festival are no longer what they used to be.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1221

Headnote: "Around the time of the Northern Festival I visited Kamo, glad of the occasion, and as I waited, the imperial envoy arrived. All was well up to his arrival at the bridge pavilion and the obeisances, but the bearing and conduct of the dancers did not seem like what I had seen in former days, and there were no musicians playing the koto for the Eastern Dances. Thinking, 'This is the latter age indeed; how must the gods regard it?', I felt ashamed and composed this"
At the Kamo Festival Saigyō visited the shrine and waited gladly until the imperial envoy arrived. The obeisances at the bridge pavilion were proper, but the dancers' manner was unlike what he had seen before, and no musicians played the koto for the Eastern Dances. Ashamed, thinking how the gods must view such a latter age, he composed this: even the age of the gods seems to have changed, now that the rites are no longer as they were.
Sensing the coming of the latter days in the decline of ritual, he expresses shame before the gods; one glimpses Saigyō's deep sorrow at the loss of old traditions.

First line, “kami no yo mo”: even the age of the gods.
Second line, “kawarinikeri to”: nikeri marks completion and realization, "that it has changed."
Third line, “miyuru kana”: kana is exclamatory; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “sono kotowaza no”: the rites and observances of the festival.
Fifth line, “arazu naru ni mo”: now that they are no longer so, the inversion giving the reason for the lament.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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