Karahito no koromo somu to iu murasaki no kokoro ni shimite omōyuru kamo

韓人の衣染むといふ紫の
心に染みて思ほゆるかも

Roma-ji: Karahito no koromo somu to iu murasaki no kokoro ni shimite omōyuru kamo
English Translation: The people of Kara,
so they say, dye robes with it,
purple, deep-hued shade;
so it seeps into my heart,
thinking of you as I do
Meaning: Like the purple dye with which, they say, the people of Kara color their robes, you have sunk deep into my heart.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 569

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Four poems from the farewell banquet held at the Ashiki post station in Chikuzen by the officials of the Dazaifu for Lord Ōtomo"
The second of the farewell poems takes as its preface the purple with which, they say, the people of Kara dye their robes, and says that the poet's feeling for Tabito has soaked deep into his heart. The noble color purple conveys the depth of his reverence.
According to the left note, this poem and the next are by Asada no Yasu, Senior Clerk.
The author, Asada no Yasu, was an official said to be descended from immigrants from Paekche, and he served as senior clerk of the Dazaifu.

First line, "The people of Kara," means people who came over from the Korean peninsula, reflecting that the art of purple dyeing was brought by immigrants.
Second line, "so they say, dye robes with it," runs to eight syllables and reports something heard: they dye robes, it is said.
Third line, "purple, deep-hued shade," names the color dyed from gromwell root, held to be noble; the first three lines form a preface to "seeps into."
Fourth line, "so it seeps into my heart," means sinking deep into the heart, taking up "dye" from the preface.
Fifth line, "thinking of you as I do," means so you come to mind, with the exclamatory kamo.
Author: Asada no Yasu
Source: Manyoshu
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