Migomori ni ikizuki amari hayakawa no se ni wa tatsu tomo hito ni iwame ya mo

水隠りに息づきあまり早川の
瀬には立つとも人に言はめやも

Roma-ji: Migomori ni ikizuki amari hayakawa no se ni wa tatsu tomo hito ni iwame ya mo
English Translation: Hidden underwater,
gasping, breathless past all bearing,
in the rushing stream
though I stand amid its shallows,
would I tell another? Never
Meaning: Hidden like one beneath the water, gasping beyond bearing—even if I must stand in the shallows of a rushing river, would I ever tell anyone? Never.
Commentary: Book Seven Allegorical Poems 1384

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "On Rivers"
Keeping his love hidden as if beneath the water, breathless beyond bearing, the poet vows never to tell anyone, even if he must stand in the rapids of a swift river. The breathlessness of one under water stands for the pain of secret love, and standing in the rapids for danger; the poem expresses a firm resolve not to reveal his love.
It is the last of the poems "On Rivers." Following the preceding poem, which dams up the heart so as not to be found out, it vows never to speak however great the pain. The poet is unknown.

The first line, "Hidden underwater," stands for keeping love hidden in the heart.
The second line, "gasping, breathless past all bearing," means sighing beyond endurance.
The third line refers to a swiftly flowing river.
The fourth line, "though I stand amid its shallows," stands for meeting with danger.
In the final line, "meya mo" is rhetorical: "would I tell another? Never."
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Nageki seba hito shirinubemi yamagawa no tagitsu kokoro o sekaete aru kamo
Next Poem: Makana mochi yuge no kawara no umoregi no arawaru mashijiki koto ni aranaku ni