Ujigawa wa yodose nakarashi ajirobito fune yobau koe ochikochi kikoyu

宇治川は淀瀬なからし網代人
舟呼ばふ声をちこち聞こゆ

Roma-ji: Ujigawa wa yodose nakarashi ajirobito fune yobau koe ochikochi kikoyu
English Translation: The Uji River
has no still shallows, it seems;
the weir-fishermen
calling out for ferry boats—
I hear their voices far and near
Meaning: The Uji River seems to have no quiet, fordable shallows—for I hear the fishermen at their weirs calling for boats, now far, now near.
Commentary: Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1135

Headnote: "Composed in Yamashiro"
Hearing fishermen at their weirs calling for boats here and there, the poet infers that the Uji River must have no slow, fordable shallows. The poem vividly depicts the swift Uji River and the voices of the people who live by it.
It is the first poem under the heading "Composed in Yamashiro," and poems on the Uji River follow. Uji was a key point on the routes from Yamato to Ōmi and Yamashiro. The poet is unknown.

The first line names the Uji River in Yamashiro Province, known for its swift current.
In the second line, "yodose" means slow shallows, and "rashi" is inference from evidence. The poem pauses here.
The third line, "the weir-fishermen," refers to people catching fish with wickerwork weirs; the weirs of the Uji River were famous.
In the fourth line, "yobau" means to call repeatedly, here calling for the ferry.
The final line, "I hear their voices far and near," gives the evidence for the inference in the second line.
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Yoshinogawa iwa to kashiwa to tokiwa nasu ware wa kayowamu yorozuyo made ni
Next Poem: Ujigawa ni ōru sugamo o kawa hayami torazu kinikeri tsuto ni semashi o