Momochitabi kou to iu tomo morotora ga neri no kotoba wa ware wa tanomaji

百千たび恋ふと言ふとも諸弟らが
練りのことばは我れは頼まじ

Roma-ji: Momochitabi kou to iu tomo morotora ga neri no kotoba wa ware wa tanomaji
English Translation: Hundreds, thousands times
though they tell me "she longs for you,"
Morotora's words,
polished smooth and crafted fine,
never will I trust again
Meaning: Though they tell me a hundred or a thousand times that you long for me, I will no longer trust the polished words of Morotora and his like.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 774

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Five poems sent by Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi from the Kuni capital to the Elder Daughter of Sakanoue"
In the last of the five, however many times he is told she longs for him, he will no longer trust the polished words of Morotora and his like. It adds to the preceding poem his distrust of the messenger's words.
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, "Hundreds, thousands times," means a hundred, a thousand times.
Second line, "though they tell me 'she longs for you,'" means even though they say so.
Third line, "Morotora's words," is the same as the third line of the preceding poem.
Fourth line, "polished smooth and crafted fine," means his well-crafted words.
Fifth line, "never will I trust again," uses ji, negative intention: I will not rely on them.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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