Nochiseyama nochi mo awamu to omoe koso shinubeki mono o kyō made mo ikere

後瀬山後も逢はむと思へこそ
死ぬべきものを今日までも生けれ

Roma-ji: Nochiseyama nochi mo awamu to omoe koso shinubeki mono o kyō made mo ikere
English Translation: Nochise Mountain stands;
"later we shall meet," I thought,
so it is that I,
who by now should well have died,
have lived on until this day
Meaning: Like Mount Nochise, "later," it is because I think that we shall meet later that I have lived until today, though I might well have died.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 739

Headnote: "Two more poems by Yakamochi in reply to the Elder Daughter of Sakanoue"
Answering the two preceding poems, Yakamochi says that, like Mount Nochise, it is because he thinks they will meet later that he has lived to this day when he might have died. He takes up both "later we shall meet" from 737 and "must die" from 738.
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, "Nochise Mountain stands," takes up the fourth line of poem 737 and leads to nochi, "later."
Second line, "'later we shall meet,' I thought," takes up the last line of poem 737.
Third line, "so it is that I," means precisely because I think so; koso is closed by kere.
Fourth line, "who by now should well have died," takes up the last line of poem 738: though I should die.
Fifth line, "have lived on until this day," runs to eight syllables, closing koso in the perfective: I have lived until today.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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