Koto mo naku ikikoshi mono o oinami ni kakaru koi ni mo ware wa aeru kamo

事もなく生き来しものを老いなみに
かかる恋にも我れは逢へるかも

Roma-ji: Koto mo naku ikikoshi mono o oinami ni kakaru koi ni mo ware wa aeru kamo
English Translation: With no troubles at all
I have lived my life till now,
yet in my old age
such a love as this one here,
I have come to meet at last
Meaning: I had lived my life without any trouble, yet now in my old age I have met with a love like this.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 559

Headnote: "Four love poems by Ōtomo no Sukune Momoyo, Senior Secretary of the Dazaifu"
This is the first of four love poems by Ōtomo no Momoyo, Senior Secretary of the Dazaifu. He had lived peacefully until now, he says in wonder and dismay, yet in old age he has met with so fierce a love. It frankly takes up the theme of love in old age, touching as well as earnest.
The author, Ōtomo no Momoyo, was an official of the Ōtomo clan who served under Ōtomo no Tabito as Senior Secretary of the Dazaifu.

First line, "With no troubles at all," means without incident, peacefully.
Second line, "I have lived my life till now," uses shi, the attributive of the past ki, with the concessive mono o: though I have lived so.
Third line, "yet in my old age," names oinami, the season of old age.
Fourth line, "such a love as this one here," points to an unexpected and fierce love.
Fifth line, "I have come to meet at last," uses ru, the attributive of the perfective ri, and the exclamatory kamo: I have met with it.
Author: Ōtomo no Momoyo
Source: Manyoshu
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