Aizune no kuni o sadōmi awanawaba shinoi ni semo to himo musubasane

会津嶺の国をさ遠み逢はなはば
偲ひにせもと紐結ばさね

Roma-ji: Aizune no kuni o sadōmi awanawaba shinoi ni semo to himo musubasane
English Translation: The peak of Aizu—
because that land is far from here,
if we should not meet,
something to remember you by:
tie my cord for me, my love.
Meaning: Our land of Aizu's peak lies so far away that, if we cannot meet, I want something to remember you by—tie my cord for me.
Commentary: Book Fourteen Azuma Poems 3426

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Sōmon (Love Exchanges)"
Far from his homeland beneath the peak of Aizu, should they no longer be able to meet, the singer asks the beloved to tie the cord of his garment as a keepsake. The parting custom of tying cords carries a wish to meet again.
The next three poems are from Mutsu Province, covering present-day Fukushima and the Tōhoku region, as the left note says: "The three poems above are from Mutsu Province." The peak of Aizu is thought to be Mount Bandai in present-day Fukushima.
The poet is unknown. The Azuma uta are thought to have been sung among the people of the eastern provinces, and they are marked by plain, open-hearted expression mixed with local dialect.

First line, "aizune no": The mountain of Aizu, thought to be Mount Bandai; Aizu appears in the first Mutsu poem.
Second line, "kuni o sadōmi": "Sa" is a prefix, and "o ... mi" gives a reason: because the land is far.
Third line, "awanawaba": "Nawaba" is an eastern form equivalent to "zuba": if we cannot meet.
Fourth line, "shinoi ni semo to": "Shinoi" is a token for remembering, and "semo" is an eastern form of "semu."
Final line, "himo musubasane": "Sane" adds respect and a wish: please tie my cord.
Source: Manyoshu
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