Mukashi mishi Kisa no ogawa o ima mireba iyoyo sayakeku narinikeru kamo

昔見し象の小川を今見れば
いよよさやけくなりにけるかも

Roma-ji: Mukashi mishi Kisa no ogawa o ima mireba iyoyo sayakeku narinikeru kamo
English Translation: The Kisa brook
that I saw in days gone by—
as I see it now,
ever more clear and fresh
has it grown with passing years.
Meaning: The Kisa brook I saw long ago—seeing it now, I find it has become clearer and fresher than ever.
Commentary: Book Three Miscellaneous Poems 316

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "A poem with tanka composed at imperial command by the Middle Counselor Lord Ōtomo when the Emperor made a royal visit to the Yoshino detached palace in the last month of spring," with the note "A poem not yet presented" — "Envoy"
This is the envoy to a long poem composed at imperial command during a royal visit to the Yoshino detached palace. Seeing again the Kisa brook he once saw, the poet finds it even purer than before, praising the land of Yoshino. The note in the headnote says the poem was not presented to the Emperor. The visit is thought to be Emperor Shōmu's journey to Yoshino in Jinki 1 (724). The Kisa brook flows from Mount Kisa into the Yoshino River near Miyataki.
The poet, Ōtomo no Tabito, was a son of Ōtomo no Yasumaro. He served as Middle Counselor and Governor-General of Dazaifu before rising to Great Counselor, and died in Tenpyō 3 (731). Steeped in Chinese letters, he was at the center of a poetic circle with Yamanoue no Okura and others while serving in Tsukushi.

First line "that I saw in days gone by": shi is the attributive of the past ki.
Second line "The Kisa brook" flows down from Mount Kisa in Yoshino.
Third line "as I see it now" sets "now" against "long ago," showing the span of time.
Fourth line "ever more clear and fresh": iyoyo means more and more, and sayakeshi pure and refreshing.
Fifth line "has it grown": nikeru gives completion and past, and kamo wonder, ending in praise for Yoshino's beauty, unchanged and even enhanced.
Author: Ōtomo no Tabito
Source: Manyoshu
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