Asukagawa nanase no yodo ni sumu tori mo kokoro are koso nami tatezarame

明日香川七瀬の淀に住む鳥も
心あれこそ波立てざらめ

Roma-ji: Asukagawa nanase no yodo ni sumu tori mo kokoro are koso nami tatezarame
English Translation: The Asuka River—
in the still pools of its seven shallows
the birds that dwell there,
only because they have hearts,
raise no ripples on the water
Meaning: Even the birds that dwell in the still pools of the Asuka River's many shallows raise no ripples—surely because they have hearts.
Commentary: Book Seven Allegorical Poems 1366

Headnote: "On Birds"
The poet says that even the birds dwelling in the still pools of the Asuka River raise no ripples, surely because they have hearts. The birds that stir no waves stand for keeping one's love hidden so as not to raise gossip.
It is the only poem under the heading "On Birds." The still pools of the Asuka River also appear in "if the Asuka River should stand still" in poem 1379 in this book. The poet is unknown.

The first line names the Asuka River, which flows through Asuka in Yamato.
In the second line, "seven" expresses a great number of shallows.
The third line, "the birds that dwell there," introduces the birds.
In the fourth line, "only because they have hearts," "koso" is answered by the perfective "me" in the final line.
The final line, "raise no ripples on the water," completes the "koso ... me" construction; the waves stand for gossip.
Source: Manyoshu
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