Masurao to omoeru ware o kaku bakari mitsure ni mitsure katamoi o semu

ますらをと思へる我れをかくばかり
みつれにみつれ片思をせむ

Roma-ji: Masurao to omoeru ware o kaku bakari mitsure ni mitsure katamoi o semu
English Translation: I, who thought myself
such a stalwart man of men,
to such lengths as this,
worn and wasted, wasted, worn,
must I suffer one-sided love
Meaning: I, who thought myself a stalwart man, am to waste away like this, pining with a one-sided love.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 719

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Seven poems sent by Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi to a maiden"
He thought himself a stalwart man, yet here he is, wasting away with a one-sided love; he laments how love has weakened him. The contrast between a man's pride and the frailty of unrequited love carries self-mockery.
The author, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, was the son of Ōtomo no Tabito and a poet thought to have been deeply involved in compiling the Man'yōshū. He later rose to the rank of Middle Counselor.

First line, "I, who thought myself," means as a stalwart man.
Second line, "such a stalwart man of men," means I who think myself so.
Third line, "to such lengths as this," means this much.
Fourth line, "worn and wasted, wasted, worn," doubles mitsuru, "to become haggard."
Fifth line, "must I suffer one-sided love," means shall I pine in unrequited love? It closes in wonder at his own state.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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