Tayu to iwaba wabishimi semu to yakitachi no hetsukau koto wa sakiku ya aga kimi

絶ゆと言はばわびしみせむと焼大刀の
へつかふことは幸くや我が君

Roma-ji: Tayu to iwaba wabishimi semu to yakitachi no hetsukau koto wa sakiku ya aga kimi
English Translation: If you spoke of parting,
thinking it would grieve me so,
like a tempered sword,
staying close beside me thus,
is it well, my lord, is it
Meaning: Thinking I would grieve if you spoke of parting, you stay close beside me like a tempered sword at one's side; is that really kind, my lord?
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 641

Headnote: "Another poem sent in reply by the maiden"
Thinking she would grieve if he spoke of parting, he clings to her side; is that really well done? she asks. She reproaches his indecision while a loneliness at sensing the end seeps through. The poem is considered difficult, with disputed readings.
The author is a woman who exchanged poems with Prince Yuhara; her name has not come down.

First line, "If you spoke of parting," runs to six syllables: if you said we must break off.
Second line, "thinking it would grieve me so," means thinking I would be sorrowful.
Third line, "like a tempered sword," names yakitachi, a forged blade, taken as a pillow word for hetsukau, since a sword is kept at one's side.
Fourth line, "staying close beside me thus," uses hetsukau, "to stay close by": your keeping near me.
Fifth line, "is it well, my lord, is it," runs to eight syllables and is taken to mean is that good, my lord? though the sense is disputed.
Source: Manyoshu
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