Ametsuchi no kami no kotowari naku wa koso aga omou kimi ni awazu shini seme

天地の神の理なくはこそ
我が思ふ君に逢はず死にせめ

Roma-ji: Ametsuchi no kami no kotowari naku wa koso aga omou kimi ni awazu shini seme
English Translation: Heaven and earth's gods,
were there no justice in them,
only then might I
die without ever meeting
you, the one I love so well
Meaning: Only if the gods of heaven and earth had no justice would I die without ever meeting you, the one I love.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 605

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Twenty-four poems sent by Lady Kasa to Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi"
Only if the gods of heaven and earth had no justice, she says, would she die without meeting the one she loves. Turned the other way, it holds a strong wish and conviction that, since the gods are just, she will surely meet him.
The author, Lady Kasa, was a woman poet of the Nara period who sent many love poems to Ōtomo no Yakamochi. Little else is known of her.

First line, "Heaven and earth's gods," names the gods of heaven and earth.
Second line, "were there no justice in them," names kotowari, the reason and right of the gods.
Third line, "only then might I," uses naku wa, "if there were not," with koso, which is closed by me in the fifth line.
Fourth line, "die without ever meeting," means you whom I love.
Fifth line, "you, the one I love so well," means I would die without meeting you; me, the perfective of mu, closes koso.
Author: Lady Kasa
Source: Manyoshu
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