Imo ga tame kai o hiriu to chinu no umi ni nurenishi sode wa hosedo kawakazu

妹がため貝を拾ふと茅渟の海に
濡れにし袖は干せど乾かず

Roma-ji: Imo ga tame kai o hiriu to chinu no umi ni nurenishi sode wa hosedo kawakazu
English Translation: For my darling's sake
I went gathering seashells
in the sea of Chinu,
and the sleeves that there got wet
I dry, but they will not dry
Meaning: For my beloved's sake I went gathering shells in the sea of Chinu—and the sleeves I soaked there will not dry, however I spread them out.
Commentary: Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1145

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed in Settsu"
The poet's sleeves, soaked in the sea of Chinu as he gathered shells as a gift for his wife, will not dry however he spreads them out. The sleeves that stay wet may also hint at the depth of his love, or at tears of longing.
It is one of the poems composed in Settsu. The sea of Chinu is the southern part of Osaka Bay, off Izumi. The expression closely resembles "the robe I soaked will not dry though I spread it" in poem 1186 in this book, and the idea of gathering shells or jewels for a wife recurs in poem 1220 and others. The poet is unknown.

The first line, "For my darling's sake," is also the first line of poem 1220 in this book.
The second line, "I went gathering seashells," means intending to pick up shells.
The third line names the sea off Izumi in southern Osaka Bay; the line has an extra syllable.
The fourth line, "and the sleeves that there got wet," refers to his soaked sleeves.
The final line, "I dry, but they will not dry," is the same as the last line of poem 1186.
Source: Manyoshu
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