Nochi mo awamu ware ni na koiso to imo wa iedo kouru aida ni toshi wa henitsutsu

後も逢はむ我にな恋ひそと妹は言へど
恋ふる間に年は経につつ

Roma-ji: Nochi mo awamu ware ni na koiso to imo wa iedo kouru aida ni toshi wa henitsutsu
English Translation: "We shall meet again,
so do not long for me,"
my love tells me so,
but while I long for her
the years go slipping by
Meaning: "We will meet later on, so do not pine for me," she says, yet while I pine for her, the years keep slipping away.
Commentary: Book Twelve Expressing Thoughts Directly 2847

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Expressing Thoughts Directly"
The poem sets the beloved's words, "We will meet in time, so do not pine," against the reality of years passing in waiting. Her consoling words only sharpen the pain of the one who waits.
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro was a court poet who served under Empress Jitō and Emperor Monmu. The left note shows that this poem was taken from the Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Collection, though scholars differ on whether it is Hitomaro's own work or a song he recorded.

Line one, "nochi mo awamu," are the beloved's words, "let us meet later," and form a hypermetric line of six syllables.
Line two, "ware ni na koiso to": "na ... so" expresses prohibition, "do not long for me." Everything up to here quotes her words.
Line three, "imo wa iedo," is concessive, "though she says so," showing the gap between her words and reality.
Line four, "kouru aida ni," means "while I am longing."
Line five, "toshi wa henitsutsu," means "the years keep passing," with "tsutsu" marking continuation and stressing the length of the wait.
Author: Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Collection
Source: Manyoshu
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