I find myself in
haste, lest I be left behind
by the fisher's boat
that must be rowing far out
now and away from the shore

Meaning

I find myself in haste, lest I be left behind by the fisher's boat that must by now be rowing far out from the shore.

Commentary

Part Three: Tenarai

　Learning that Ukifune had taken vows, the Captain sent this to the house. He likens the woman leaving the world to a boat pulling away from the shore, and says he would follow her into religion himself. She answered, and her answer put the wish aside. His letters went on coming, and his persistence is drawn as a distant reflection of Kaoru's.

　Amabune is a fisher's boat, with ama, fisher, carrying ama, a nun. The shore is the world, and to leave it is to take vows. Nori okureji is not to be left behind, that is, to wish to go the same way. He uses the standard scene of boat and shore for renunciation, while what shows through is that he would rather hold her back.

Author

Murasaki Shikibu

Source

Genji Monogatari

Other

I find myself in haste, lest I be left behind by the fisher's boat that must be rowing far out now and away from the shore

I find myself in
haste, lest I be left behind
by the fisher's boat
that must be rowing far out
now and away from the shore