Kakute nomi yo ni ariake no tsuki naraba kumo kakushite yo amakudaru kami - Shika Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

かくてのみ世にありあけの月ならば
雲隠してよ天降る神

Roma-ji: Kakute nomi yo ni ariake no tsuki naraba kumo kakushite yo amakudaru kami
English Translation: If I am to be
like the moon left in the dawn,
lingering on in this world,
then hide me away in clouds,
O god descending from the heavens
Meaning: If I must linger on in this world like the moon left in the dawn sky, then hide me in the clouds, O god who descends from heaven.
Commentary: Book Ten Miscellaneous Poems II 408

If he is to linger on in this world in misery, like the moon left in the dawn sky, the poet prays to the gods to hide him in the clouds. Playing "ari" (to remain) against "ariake" (dawn moon), he entrusts the pain of living on to a moon left lingering in the sky.
Poem 351 and the final poem, 415, of this book also sing of the dawn moon.

The first line, "kakute nomi," uses "nomi": only in this way.
The second line, "yo ni ariake no," is a pivot word joining "ari" (to remain in the world) and "ariake" (the dawn moon).
The third line, "tsuki naraba," is a hypothetical with the irrealis of the copula and "ba": if I am such a moon.
The fourth line, "kumo kakushite yo," is a plea with "yo": hide me in clouds, with a break after the fourth line.
The final line, "amakudaru kami," ends with a noun, calling on the god who descends from heaven.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Shika Wakashu
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