Inishie no sakashiki hito no asobikemu yoshino no kawara miredo akanu kamo

いにしへの賢しき人の遊びけむ
吉野の川原見れど飽かぬかも

Roma-ji: Inishie no sakashiki hito no asobikemu yoshino no kawara miredo akanu kamo
English Translation: The wise men of old,
those sages of the ancient days,
once took pleasure here—
the riverbanks of Yoshino,
I never tire of gazing on.
Meaning: The wise men of long ago are said to have taken their pleasure here—the riverbanks of Yoshino, which I never tire of seeing.
Commentary: Book Nine Miscellaneous Poems 1725

Headnote: "A poem by Maro"
The poet praises the riverbanks of Yoshino, where wise men of old are said to have taken their ease, as a place he never tires of seeing. Drawing on Chinese-style ideas of Yoshino as a haunt of sages and immortals, he honors the place's venerable associations.
A left note says these poems come from the collection of Kakinomoto no Asomi Hitomaro, showing that poems 1720 through this one belong to the Hitomaro Collection. "The wise men of old" recalls the "good men" in poem 27 of Book One, in which Emperor Tenmu praised Yoshino, emphasizing Yoshino as a place where people of old took pleasure.
The author, Maro, is otherwise unknown; some think the name refers to Kakinomoto no Hitomaro himself.

The first line, "the wise men of old," looks back to the distant past.
The second line, "those sages of the ancient days," refers to wise men who withdrew from the world to enjoy nature.
The third line, "once took pleasure here," uses kemu for something past known by report.
The fourth line, "the riverbanks of Yoshino," presents the place where the ancients took their ease.
The final line, "I never tire of gazing on," is the same phrase of praise as in 1711. Placed at the close of the Yoshino poems of the Hitomaro Collection, it ends the group on a note of praise.
Author: Maro
Source: Manyoshu
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