Ukimi tote shinobaba koi no shinobarete hito no natate ni nari mo koso sure

憂き身とて忍ばば恋の忍ばれて
人の名立てになりもこそすれ

Roma-ji: Ukimi tote shinobaba koi no shinobarete hito no natate ni nari mo koso sure
English Translation: If, being worthless,
I should hide my love away,
the hiding itself shows—
and it might even end with
my beloved's name in talk.
Meaning: If I, worthless as I am, try to hide my love, the very hiding may show, and it may end in gossip about the one I love.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1250

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "One hundred and ten love poems"
If he hides his love because he is unworthy, the very hiding may show and bring gossip upon the beloved, the poet fears.
He must conceal his love not for himself but to protect the other's name, yet the more he hides it, the more unnatural he becomes and the more he risks harming the beloved. The repetition of shinobaba and shinobarete expresses this vicious circle.

First line, “ukimi tote”: because I am wretched.
Second line, “shinobaba koi no”: if I hide my love.
Third line, “shinobarete”: the hiding shows of itself, repeating shinoba of the second line.
Fourth line, “hito no natate ni”: into gossip about the beloved.
Fifth line, “nari mo koso sure”: mo koso expresses apprehension, "it may well come to that."
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
Prev Poem: Au koto no nakute yaminuru mono naraba ima miyo yo ni mo ari ya hatsuru to
Next Poem: Misao naru namida nariseba karakoromo kakete mo hito ni shiraremashi ya wa