Itsuka wa to kotaen koto no netaki kana omoishirazu to urami kikaseba

いつかはと答へんことのねたきかな
思ひ知らずと恨み聞かせば

Roma-ji: Itsuka wa to kotaen koto no netaki kana omoishirazu to urami kikaseba
English Translation: 'When did I do that?'
how galling the reply would be
that I can foresee,
if I let her hear my grudge,
'You know nothing of my love.'
Meaning: How galling it would be to hear her answer, "When did I ever do that?" if I were to tell her my grudge, that she knows nothing of my love.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1271

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "One hundred and ten love poems"
If he tells her his grudge that she does not understand his love, she will surely reply, "When did I ever?", and how galling that would be, the poet says.
Expecting the beloved to feign innocence even when told of his resentment, he chafes in advance. The frustration and vexation of love's game come through.

First line, “itsuka wa to”: "when was that?", imagining her retort.
Second line, “kotaen koto no”: the answer she would give.
Third line, “netaki kana”: netashi is galling; kana is exclamatory and the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “omoishirazu to”: that she does not understand.
Fifth line, “urami kikaseba”: if I let her hear my grudge, the inversion giving the condition.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
Prev Poem: Ima yori wa awade mono o ba omou to mo nochi uki hito ni mi o ba makaseji
Next Poem: Sode no ue no hitome shirareshi ori made wa misao narikeru waga namida kana