Asayoi ni mimu toki sae ya wagimoko ga miredo minu goto nao koishikemu

朝夕に見む時さへや我妹子が
見れど見ぬごとなほ恋しけむ

Roma-ji: Asayoi ni mimu toki sae ya wagimoko ga miredo minu goto nao koishikemu
English Translation: Morning, evening, too,
even when I see her then,
still my dearest one,
though I see her, as if not,
I shall long for all the more
Meaning: Even when I see my beloved morning and evening, it will be as though I had not seen her, and I will long for her still.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 745

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Fifteen more poems sent by Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi to the Elder Daughter of Sakanoue"
Even when he can see her morning and evening, it will be as though he had not, and he will long for her still. It expresses a love that no amount of meeting can exhaust.
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, "Morning, evening, too," means both morning and evening.
Second line, "even when I see her then," uses sae, "even," and the questioning ya.
Third line, "still my dearest one," means my beloved.
Fourth line, "though I see her, as if not," means though seen, as if unseen.
Fifth line, "I shall long for all the more," uses the conjectural kemu: I will surely long for her still.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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