Hitogoto o shigemi kochitami awazu ariki kokoro aru goto na omoi waga seko

人言を繁み言痛み逢はずありき
心あるごとな思ひ我が背子

Roma-ji: Hitogoto o shigemi kochitami awazu ariki kokoro aru goto na omoi waga seko
English Translation: Because of the talk,
so thick and so tiresome,
I would not meet you;
do not think my heart has turned,
O my dearest, think not so
Meaning: It was only because people's gossip was so thick and tiresome that I did not meet you; do not think my heart has turned elsewhere, my love.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 538

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Six poems sent by Princess Takata to Prince Imaki"
The poet explains that she stayed away only because people's gossip was so troublesome, not because her heart had left him, and asks him not to think otherwise. Laying the blame on rumor, she tries to clear up his misunderstanding.
The author, Princess Takata, is thought to be a daughter of Prince Takayasu. The recipient, Prince Imaki, was the son of Ōtomo no Iratsume and was later granted the surname Ōhara no Mahito.

First line, "Because of the talk," names hitogoto, people's talk, the tongues of the world that stand in love's way.
Second line, "so thick and so tiresome," doubles the construction o ... mi to stress the reason: because it was so thick and so wearisome.
Third line, "I would not meet you," runs to six syllables, the past ki ending the clause; the poem breaks after this line.
Fourth line, "do not think my heart has turned," means as if my heart were set elsewhere, taken as as if I had changed.
Fifth line, "O my dearest, think not so," uses the prohibitive na: do not think it, my love.
Author: Princess Takata
Source: Manyoshu
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