Ima wa wa wa shinamu yo waga se ikeri tomo ware ni yorubeshi to iu to iwanaku ni

今は我は死なむよ我が背生けりとも
我れに依るべしと言ふといはなくに

Roma-ji: Ima wa wa wa shinamu yo waga se ikeri tomo ware ni yorubeshi to iu to iwanaku ni
English Translation: Now, as things are now,
I shall die, my dearest one;
even if I live,
you don't say, not even say,
that your heart will turn to me
Meaning: Now I will die, my love; even if I live, you will not even say that your heart will turn to me.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 684

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Seven poems by Lady Ōtomo no Sakanoue"
Since even if she lives he will not say his heart turns to her, she declares she will die now, pleading with bitter resentment. It opens, like Ki no Iratsume's poem 644, with ima wa wa wa, "now I," so words of despair in love echo between them.
The author, Lady Ōtomo no Sakanoue, was a daughter of Ōtomo no Yasumaro and half-sister of Ōtomo no Tabito. She left many poems in the Man'yōshū and is esteemed as a leading woman poet.

First line, "Now, as things are now," runs to six syllables and opens as poem 644 does.
Second line, "I shall die, my dearest one," means I will die, my love; the poem breaks after this line.
Third line, "even if I live," means though I should live.
Fourth line, "you don't say, not even say," runs to eight syllables: that you should rely on me.
Fifth line, "that your heart will turn to me," runs to eight syllables: you do not so much as say it.
Author: Lady Ōtomo no Sakanoue
Source: Manyoshu
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