Tarachine no haha ni mo iwazu tsutsumerishi kokoro wa yoshie kimi ga manimani

たらちねの母にも言はずつつめりし
心はよしゑ君がまにまに

Roma-ji: Tarachine no haha ni mo iwazu tsutsumerishi kokoro wa yoshie kimi ga manimani
English Translation: Not even telling
my mother, who gave me life,
I kept it wrapped away—
this heart, now let it go:
let it be as you will
Meaning: This heart I kept hidden, not telling even my mother—let it go now; let it be as you wish.
Commentary: Book Thirteen Love Poems 3285

Headnote: "Envoy"
This is the envoy to the chōka (3284). She resolves to entrust to his will the love she has hidden, telling not even her mother. The chōka prays to the gods of heaven and earth, setting sacred jars in the ground and hanging bamboo beads; the left note says that the chōka’s “for my beloved (imo)” should be “for my lord (kimi),” since the envoy says “as you (kimi) will,” treating the poem as a woman’s.
The poet is unknown. Book Thirteen is built mainly of anonymous chōka and their envoys, and many of its poems preserve the air of old songs and ritual verse.

The first line, “tarachine no,” is a pillow word for “mother.”
The second line, “haha ni mo iwazu,” means “not telling even my mother,” the particle “mo” stressing that she hid it from the one closest to her.
The third line, “tsutsumerishi,” means “that I kept wrapped and hidden,” with “ri” stative and “shi” the attributive of the past “ki.”
In the fourth line, “yoshie” means “let it be,” throwing off hesitation.
The closing line, “kimi ga manimani,” means “just as you will,” ending with words that entrust her whole heart to him.
Source: Manyoshu
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