Ōtaki o sugite natsumi ni chikazukite kiyoki kawase o miru ga sayakesa

大滝を過ぎて夏身に近づきて
清き川瀬を見るがさやけさ

Roma-ji: Ōtaki o sugite natsumi ni chikazukite kiyoki kawase o miru ga sayakesa
English Translation: Past the Great Falls,
drawing near to Natsumi,
as I journey on,
the clear shallows of the river,
how refreshing to the eye!
Meaning: Past the Great Falls and drawing near to Natsumi, how refreshing it is to see the clear shallows of the river!
Commentary: Book Nine Miscellaneous Poems 1737

Headnote: "A poem by Hyōbu Kawara"
Having passed the Great Falls and drawn near to Natsumi, the speaker delights in the sight of the clear river shallows. Place names are traced in order along the way, and the refreshing mood before the clear stream is gathered into the final line.
The Great Falls are a stretch of rapids on the Yoshino River in Yoshino, Nara, with Natsumi thought to be downstream. This poem sings of the same Natsumi as the preceding poem, 1736, continuing the praise of the Yoshino River.
The author, Hyōbu Kawara, is thought to have been a man of the Kawara family serving in the Ministry of Military Affairs (Hyōbu), though his given name is not recorded.

The first line, "past the Great Falls," names the rapids on the Yoshino River.
The second line, "drawing near to Natsumi," names the same place as the fourth line of the preceding poem.
The third line, "as I journey on," means approaching.
The fourth line, "the clear shallows of the river," points to the clear stream.
The final line, "how refreshing to the eye," ends on the noun sayakesa. Like the preceding poem's "I could look and never tire," it closes on the joy of seeing the river.
Author: Hyōbu Kawara
Source: Manyoshu
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