Kuni tōmi omoi na wabi so kaze no muta kumo no yuku goto koto wa kayowamu

国遠み思ひなわびそ風の共
雲の行くごと言は通はむ

Roma-ji: Kuni tōmi omoi na wabi so kaze no muta kumo no yuku goto koto wa kayowamu
English Translation: Though your land is far,
do not grieve and pine for me;
as the clouds go by
along with every wind,
so my words will come to you
Meaning: Do not grieve because your land is far away; as clouds travel with the wind, my words will reach you.
Commentary: Book Twelve Thoughts Arising on Journeys 3178

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Thoughts Arising on Journeys"
A woman encourages a man leaving for a distant land not to grieve over the distance, promising that her words will reach him as clouds travel with the wind. The image of wind and clouds reveals a bright resolve to stay connected despite the distance.
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, "kuni tōmi," means "since the land is far," the same opening as poem 3142 in this book.
Line two, "omoi na wabi so," means "do not grieve," with "na ... so" prohibitive. The poem pauses here.
Line three, "kaze no muta," means "along with the wind," the same form as "nami no muta" in poem 3078 in this book.
Line four, "kumo no yuku goto," means "as the clouds go."
Line five, "koto wa kayowamu," means "my words will pass to you," a resolve to keep exchanging words despite the distance.
Author: Unknown
Source: Manyoshu
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