Aratama no toshi no o nagaku itsu made ka aga koioramu inochi shirazute

あらたまの年の緒長くいつまでか
我が恋ひ居らむ命知らずて

Roma-ji: Aratama no toshi no o nagaku itsu made ka aga koioramu inochi shirazute
English Translation: Through the long thread
of the rough-jewel years,
until what day
must I go on longing still,
not knowing how long I'll live
Meaning: Through the long thread of the years, how long must I go on longing, not knowing how long my life will last?
Commentary: Book Twelve Expressing Thoughts Directly 2935

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Expressing Thoughts Directly"
Having loved for many years, the poet wonders how long this love must go on, thinking of a life that is limited. A love without end in sight is set against a life whose end cannot be known.
The poet is unknown. Book Twelve, titled the second part of "Love Poems Exchanged Old and New," gathers love poems by people whose names have not come down to us, arranged by category.

Line one, "aratama no," is a pillow word for "toshi," year.
Line two, "toshi no o nagaku," means "through long years," the same opening pair of lines as poem 2891 in this book.
Line three, "itsu made ka," means "until when?", with "ka" concluded by the attributive "ramu" in line four.
Line four, "aga koioramu," means "shall I go on longing."
Line five, "inochi shirazute," means "not knowing my life's span," contrasting a limited life with a love whose end cannot be seen.
Author: Unknown
Source: Manyoshu
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