Shiratama o te ni wa makazu ni hako nomi ni okerishi hito zo tama nagekasuru

白玉を手には巻かずに箱のみに
置けりし人ぞ玉嘆かする

Roma-ji: Shiratama o te ni wa makazu ni hako nomi ni okerishi hito zo tama nagekasuru
English Translation: The pearl of white
never wound about the wrist,
left within its box—
it is the one who kept it so
who makes the pearl lament
Meaning: It is the one who never wound the white pearl round his wrist but only kept it shut in a box who makes the pearl grieve.
Commentary: Book Seven Allegorical Poems 1325

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "On Jewels"
The poet says that it is the one who does not wind the white pearl on his wrist but only keeps it in a box who makes the pearl grieve. The pearl stands for a woman, and the poem reproaches a man who has made her his own yet neglects her and leaves her grieving.
It is the ninth poem on jewels, and differs from the others in giving the grief to the pearl itself. Winding the pearl on the wrist is also sung of in the next poem and in poem 1327. The poet is unknown.

The first line, "The pearl of white," stands for a woman.
The second line, "never wound about the wrist," alludes to keeping a wife close and cherishing her.
The third line, "left within its box," means kept only in a box.
In the fourth line, "it is the one who kept it so," the particle "zo" is answered by the attributive "suru" in the final line.
The final line, "who makes the pearl lament," personifies the pearl.
Source: Manyoshu
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