Ariso kosu nami wa kashikoshi shikasuga ni umi no tamamo no nikuku wa arazute

荒磯越す波は畏ししかすがに
海の玉藻の憎くはあらずて

Roma-ji: Ariso kosu nami wa kashikoshi shikasuga ni umi no tamamo no nikuku wa arazute
English Translation: The waves that surge
over the rough, rocky shore
are fearful, and yet
the jewel-weed of the sea
is not a thing I could hate
Meaning: The waves that break over the rugged shore are frightening—and yet it is not that I hate the lovely seaweed of the sea.
Commentary: Book Seven Allegorical Poems 1397

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "On Seaweed"
The waves breaking over the rugged shore are frightening, yet the poet does not hate the lovely seaweed of the sea. The seaweed is taken to stand for the woman he loves and the rough waves for the watchful eyes of others or her parents; he fears the obstacles yet cannot give up his love.
It is the fourth of the poems on seaweed and the last under that heading. By trailing off with "arazute" in the final line, it leaves a lingering sense of feelings that cannot be fully spoken. The poet is unknown.

The first line, "The waves that surge over the rough, rocky shore," describes waves breaking over a rugged beach.
The second line, "are fearful," closes the first part of the poem; the waves stand for obstacles to love.
The third line, "and yet," takes up the first two lines and turns them with a concession.
The fourth line, "the jewel-weed of the sea," stands for the woman he loves.
The final line, "is not a thing I could hate," trails off with "te," leaving the feeling unfinished.
Source: Manyoshu
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