Furinikeru kokoro koso nao aware nare oyobanu mi ni mo yo o omowasuru

古りにける心こそなほあはれなれ
及ばぬ身にも世を思はする

Roma-ji: Furinikeru kokoro koso nao aware nare oyobanu mi ni mo yo o omowasuru
English Translation: This heart grown aged—
how deeply moving it is
even so, even now,
making one whose strength falls short
still think upon the world.
Meaning: How moving is this heart grown old: even in one whose strength falls short, it still stirs thoughts for the world.
Commentary: One Hundred Poems 1512

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Ten Poems of Reflection"
The closing poem of the ten poems of reflection. A heart grown old is moving still, for it makes even one with no strength left to act think about the world.
It looks at a heart that, though he has renounced the world and his strength has waned, cannot help caring for it. Where the mountain in the preceding poem stored the ancient past, this one sings of his own heart grown old, closing the reflections with thoughts on himself.

First line, “furinikeru”: grown old, taking up “furinishi” of the preceding poem.
Second line, “kokoro koso nao”: koso is a binding particle answered by nare in the third line.
Third line, “aware nare”: answering koso in the perfective form, "how moving it is"; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “oyobanu mi ni mo”: even in one whose strength falls short.
Fifth line, “yo o omowasuru”: suru, the attributive of the causative su, closes the poem, "it makes one think of the world."
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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