Shitsutamaki kazu ni mo aranu inochi mote nani ka kokodaku aga koiwataru

しつたまき数にもあらぬ命もて
何かここだく我が恋ひわたる

Roma-ji: Shitsutamaki kazu ni mo aranu inochi mote nani ka kokodaku aga koiwataru
English Translation: Like a humble bracelet,
worthless, not worth counting, this
life of mine, and yet
why is it I go on so,
longing, longing all this while
Meaning: With a life as worthless as a humble cloth bracelet, why do I go on longing so much?
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 672

Headnote: "A poem by Abe no Asomi Mushimaro"
With so worthless a life, why does he go on longing so much? He wonders at his own love. It shares its last two lines with Lady Sakanoue's poem 658, suggesting the close relationship between the two described in the left note to poem 666.
The author, Abe no Mushimaro, was an official of the Nara period and a cousin of Lady Sakanoue on her mother's side.

First line, "Like a humble bracelet," is shitsutamaki, a pillow word for "not worth counting," from a plain cloth bracelet.
Second line, "worthless, not worth counting, this," means not counted among things.
Third line, "life of mine, and yet," means with such a life.
Fourth line, "why is it I go on so," is the same as the fourth line of poem 658.
Fifth line, "longing, longing all this while," is the same as the last line of poem 658.
Author: Abe no Mushimaro
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Tsukuyomi no hikari wa kiyoku teraseredo madoeru kokoro omoiaenaku ni
Next Poem: Masokagami togishi kokoro o yurushiteba nochi ni iu tomo shirushi arame ya mo