Emperor Meiji's Waka Poetry

I once picked up a book of Waka Poetry whilst wandering around a small town in Izu Peninsula... My initial choice to purchase it was based on the fact that the Japanese was not modern... and I occasionally yearn for a few more classical Japanese texts...

老人 (Rojin - Old People)

をさな子に

ひとしくなれる

老人を

いたはることを

ゆるがせにすな

-----

1. をさな (wosana) = 幼い (osanai) = childish, young but can be あどけない = innocent, childlike, babyish, artless

2. 子 (ko) = child / children

3. ひとしく (hitoshi-ku) = 同じに = same as - like

4. なれる (nareru) = become

5. 老人を (oibito wo) = old people (as the object of the verb in the next line)

6. いたはる (itawaru) = pity, sympathise, care for, be kind to

7. ゆるがせに shinai = We should not

(unfinished)