Hito sae ya mitsugazu aramu hikoboshi no tsuma yobu fune no chikazukiyuku o

人さへや見継がずあらむ彦星の
妻呼ぶ舟の近づき行くを

Roma-ji: Hito sae ya mitsugazu aramu hikoboshi no tsuma yobu fune no chikazukiyuku o
English Translation: Could even people
keep from watching all along
as the Herdsman Star's
boat, while calling for his wife,
draws in nearer and more near?
Meaning: Could even we mortals keep from watching as the Herdsman's boat, calling for his wife, draws nearer and nearer?
Commentary: Book Ten Autumn Miscellaneous Poems 2075

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Tanabata"
This poem says that even people on earth cannot help watching as the boat of the Herdsman, calling for his wife, draws near. It shows the warm gaze of people watching over the stars' meeting from below. The kundoku also carries a variant, "mitsutsu aruramu," reading it as "they must be watching." Like 2029 and others, it is sung from the viewpoint of earthly people watching over the heavenly meeting.

In the first line, "hito sae ya," "sae" expresses addition, even people, and "ya" is a rhetorical particle.
In the second line, "mitsugazu aramu," "mitsugu" means to keep watching: could they keep from watching? The poem breaks here.
The third line, "of the Herdsman," names the boat's owner.
The fourth line, "the boat that calls his wife," describes the boat.
The last line, "as it draws near," names by inversion what is watched at the end.
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Amanogawa watarize goto ni omoitsutsu koshiku mo shirushi aeraku omoeba
Next Poem: Amanogawa se o hayami ka mo nubatama no yo wa fukenitsutsu awanu hikoboshi