Mi no hodo o omoishirinuru koto nomi ya tsurenaki hito no nasake naruramu - Shika Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

身のほどを思ひ知りぬることのみや
つれなき人の情けなるらむ

Roma-ji: Mi no hodo o omoishirinuru koto nomi ya tsurenaki hito no nasake naruramu
English Translation: Is it this alone —
that I have come to know well
my own humble place —
that might be the kindness shown
by you, who are so heartless
Meaning: Is the only kindness you, so cold to me, have ever shown that you made me realize my own humble place?
Commentary: Book Seven Love Poems I 209

The only thing the poet has gained from the cold beloved is a painful awareness of his own station, and he mockingly asks whether that is her kindness. Calling coldness "kindness" carries the bitterness of an unrewarded love.

The first line, "mi no hodo o" (my own station), refers to the measure of one's rank and position.
The second line, "omoishirinuru," uses the attributive perfective "nuru" to mean having fully come to realize.
The third line, "koto nomi ya," limits with "nomi" and poses a question with "ya."
The fourth line, "tsurenaki hito no" (of the heartless one), echoes "tsurenaki hito" and "hito no tsurenakariseba" in 193 and 194 of this book.
The final line, "nasake naruramu," closes "ya" with the attributive "ramu," ending with the ironic question of whether that is kindness.
Source: Shika Wakashu
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