Waga tsuraki koto ni o nasan onozukara hitome o omou kokoro ari ya to

我がつらきことにをなさんおのづから
人目を思ふ心ありやと

Roma-ji: Waga tsuraki koto ni o nasan onozukara hitome o omou kokoro ari ya to
English Translation: I'll make it my fault,
all the pain that I endure—
perhaps, after all,
it may be she has a heart
that minds the eyes of others.
Meaning: I will count it as my own fault, this pain I feel; perhaps, after all, she has a heart that minds what others see.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1296

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "One hundred and ten love poems"
I will count her coldness as my own doing, the poet says; perhaps she has a heart that minds what others see.
Instead of blaming the beloved, he charitably supposes she may be shrinking from others' eyes and takes the matter upon himself. The wish not to think ill of the one he loves comes through.

First line, “waga tsuraki”: the pain that is mine.
Second line, “koto ni o nasan”: let me make it so; o is emphatic and n volitional; the poem breaks here, and the line has an extra syllable as the text stands.
Third line, “onozukara”: perhaps, by chance.
Fourth line, “hitome o omou”: minding others' eyes.
Fifth line, “kokoro ari ya to”: ya questions, "whether she has such a heart."
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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