Iwa ni musu koke no midori no fukaki iro o iku chiyo made to tare ka somekemu

岩に生す苔の緑の深き色を
幾千代までと誰か染めけむ

Roma-ji: Iwa ni musu koke no midori no fukaki iro o iku chiyo made to tare ka somekemu
English Translation: The moss on the rocks—
the deep colour of its green,
"for how many thousand ages?"
who could it have been
that dyed it so?
Meaning: Who could have dyed the deep green of the moss growing on the rocks, meaning it to last for so many thousand ages?
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 665

Headnote: "On the theme of celebration through moss"
On celebration through moss, the poet wonders who dyed the deep green of the moss on the rocks so it might last for thousands of ages, blessing the lasting reign through moss that grows over long years.
The Ruijū text places it in its section of celebration.

Line 1 means "growing on the rock," musu meaning moss and the like growing.
Line 2 means "of the moss's green," continuing from the green of bamboo to that of moss.
Line 3 means "the deep colour," six syllables.
Line 4 means "for how many thousand ages," the same as line 4 of 660 of this book.
Line 5 means "who dyed it?" ka concluded by kemu.
Author: Minamoto no Sanetomo
Source: Kinkaishu
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