Yo no naka ni naku naru hito o kiku tabi ni omoi wa shiru o oroka naru mi ni

世の中に亡くなる人を聞くたびに
思ひは知るを愚かなる身に

Roma-ji: Yo no naka ni naku naru hito o kiku tabi ni omoi wa shiru o oroka naru mi ni
English Translation: In this world of ours,
each time I hear of someone
who has passed away,
I come to know it, and yet—
for one so foolish as I...
Meaning: Each time I hear of someone in this world who has died, I come to understand impermanence—and yet, for one as foolish as I...
Commentary: One Hundred Poems 1522

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Ten Poems on Impermanence"
The closing poem of the ten on impermanence. Each time he hears of someone's death he comes to know impermanence, yet for one as foolish as he, it never truly sinks in.
It reflects on his own folly: though he learns of impermanence with every death he hears of, he still cannot awaken. It closes the impermanence poems with self-reproach for knowing yet not truly understanding.

First line, “yo no naka ni”: in this world.
Second line, “naku naru hito o”: of those who die.
Third line, “kiku tabi ni”: each time I hear.
Fourth line, “omoi wa shiru o”: o is concessive, "though I come to know it."
Fifth line, “oroka naru mi ni”: for one as foolish as I, the thought left unfinished, implying it does not sink in.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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