Amanogawa watarize goto ni omoitsutsu koshiku mo shirushi aeraku omoeba

天の川渡り瀬ごとに思ひつつ
来しくもしるし逢へらく思へば

Roma-ji: Amanogawa watarize goto ni omoitsutsu koshiku mo shirushi aeraku omoeba
English Translation: The Heavenly River,
at each crossing shoal I passed
thinking of you still,
all my coming was worthwhile,
when I think that we have met.
Meaning: At every ford of the Heavenly River I thought of you as I came—and it was worth it, now that I think of how we have met.
Commentary: Book Ten Autumn Miscellaneous Poems 2074

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Tanabata"
This poem, in the Herdsman's voice, sings of the joy of meeting, saying it was worthwhile to come thinking of his beloved at every ford of the Heavenly River. The joy of a meeting reached with hardship is packed into "koshiku mo shirushi." Whereas in 2069 the Weaver made offerings at each shoal praying for the Herdsman's safety, here the Herdsman says he came thinking of the Weaver at each ford, so the two poems show the correspondence of the one who prays and the one who crosses.

The first line, "the Heavenly River," names the river dividing the stars.
The second line, "at each ford," corresponds to "at every shoal" in 2069.
In the third line, "omoitsutsu," "tsutsu" marks continuation: thinking all the while.
In the fourth line, "koshiku mo shirushi," "koshiku" is the nominalized form of "koshi" and "shirushi" means worthwhile. The poem breaks here.
In the last line, "aeraku omoeba," "aeraku" is the nominalized form of "aeri," closing with joy at the meeting.
Source: Manyoshu
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