Waga omoi kakute arazu wa tama ni mo ga makoto mo imo ga te ni makarenamu

我が思ひかくてあらずは玉にもが
まことも妹が手に巻かれなむ

Roma-ji: Waga omoi kakute arazu wa tama ni mo ga makoto mo imo ga te ni makarenamu
English Translation: Rather than this love
going on the way it does,
would I were a jewel;
then truly, my dearest one,
round your wrist I'd be wound
Meaning: Rather than suffer my love like this, I wish I were a jewel; then I would truly be wound around your wrist.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 734

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Three more poems by Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi in reply"
In the last of the three, rather than suffer in love, he wishes he were a jewel, so that he would truly be wound around her wrist. It takes up the Elder Daughter's poem 729, "were you but a jewel, I would wind you round my wrist," answering that he himself would become the jewel, a vivid exchange.
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, "Rather than this love," means my longing.
Second line, "going on the way it does," means rather than being like this.
Third line, "would I were a jewel," uses the wishful moga: if only I were a jewel. The poem breaks after this line, answering "were you but a jewel" in poem 729.
Fourth line, "then truly, my dearest one," means truly, your.
Fifth line, "round your wrist I'd be wound," means I would be wound on your hand, answering "I would wind you round my wrist" in poem 729.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Utsusemi no yo ya mo futayuku nani su to ka imo ni awazute waga hitori nemu
Next Poem: Kasugayama kasumi tanabiki kokoroguku tereru tsukuyo ni hitori kamo nemu