すえのつゆもとのしづくやよの中のをくれさきだつためしなるらん

sue no tsuyu moto no shizuku ya
yo no naka no okure sakidatsu tameshi naruran

Henjo (816 - 890), SKKS VIII: 757

"Dew on the tips of branches slowly dripping towards the roots
Just like we delay in this world until our death..."

(translation by Zoltan Barczikay...)