Nubatama no yo wataru tsuki o todomemu ni nishi no yamabe ni seki mo aranu kamo

ぬばたまの夜渡る月を留めむに
西の山辺に関もあらぬかも

Roma-ji: Nubatama no yo wataru tsuki o todomemu ni nishi no yamabe ni seki mo aranu kamo
English Translation: Through the jet-black night
the moon is crossing the sky;
to hold it back
on the mountains in the west
would there were a barrier gate
Meaning: If only there were a barrier gate on the western hills to hold back the moon that crosses the jet-black night.
Commentary: Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1077

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "On the Moon"
Loath to see the moon sink in the west, the poet wishes there were a barrier on the western hills to stop it. Applying to the moon the checkpoint that halts travelers is a clever touch.
Poem 1081 in this book shares the same first two lines, "the moon crossing the jet-black night," so poems with a common phrase are placed within the moon group. The poet is unknown.

The first line uses "nubatama," a pillow word for "night." It is the same first line as poem 1081.
The second line, "the moon is crossing the sky," likens the moon's movement to a journey.
The third line, "to hold it back," uses "mu" to express intention: "though I would stop it."
The fourth line, "on the mountains in the west," refers to the hills where the moon goes down.
In the final line, "would there were a barrier gate," "nu kamo" expresses a wish: if only there were a checkpoint. The idea turns the gate that detains travelers upon the moon.
Source: Manyoshu
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