Harukusa wa nochi wa utsurou iwao nasu tokiwa ni imase tōtoki aga kimi

春草は後はうつろふ巌なす
常盤にいませ貴き我が君

Roma-ji: Harukusa wa nochi wa utsurou iwao nasu tokiwa ni imase tōtoki aga kimi
English Translation: The grasses of spring
will in time fade and wither—
like the living rock,
be ever-changeless, remain,
O noble lord of mine
Meaning: The grasses of spring fade in time. Like a great rock, may you remain unchanging forever, my noble lord.
Commentary: Book Six Miscellaneous Poems 988

Headnote: "A poem by Prince Ichihara praying for his father, Prince Aki, at a banquet"
The poem prays for the long life of the poet's father, asking that he remain unchanging forever like a great rock, though the grasses of spring must fade in time. According to the headnote, Prince Ichihara composed it at a banquet to bless his father, Prince Aki.
Contrasting the fleeting grasses of spring with the eternally unchanging rock, the poem wishes that his father may live long, always the same, like the rock. While taking the form of a blessing for the long life of an elder at a banquet, it shows directly a son's respect and affection for his father.
The poet, Prince Ichihara, was a son of Prince Aki and a great-grandson of Prince Shiki. He later served as director of the office for the construction of Tōdaiji, among other posts.

This poem and the next, 989, are placed side by side as poems of banquets. Where this poem prays at a banquet for the father's long life, the next sings of becoming drunk on the abundant wine of the feast, depicting the festive banquet from two sides.
The first line, "The grasses of spring," refers to the grasses that sprout in spring. Singled out by the particle "wa," it is set against the "rock" that follows.
The second line, "will in time fade and wither," says that even the fresh grasses of spring will eventually decline. The sense breaks here, after the second line.
The third line, "like the living rock," means "like a great rock," with "nasu" meaning "like." It leads into "tokiwa" and presents the symbol of what does not change.
The fourth line, "be ever-changeless, remain," means "please remain forever unchanging." "Tokiwa" means an ever-unchanging rock, and "imase" is the imperative of "imasu," an honorific for "to be." It contrasts with "fade" in the second line.
The final line, "O noble lord of mine," calls to his father as "my noble lord." Ending on a noun, it is filled with reverent affection. The line has an extra syllable.
Author: Prince Ichihara
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Machikateni waga suru tsuki wa imo ga kiru mikasa no yama ni komorite arikeri
Next Poem: Yakitachi no kado uchihanachi masurao no hoku toyomiki ni ware einikeri