Kono kawa ni asana arau ko nare mo are mo yochi o zo moteru ide ko tabari ni

この川に朝菜洗ふ子汝れも我れも
よちをぞ持てるいで子給りに

Roma-ji: Kono kawa ni asana arau ko nare mo are mo yochi o zo moteru ide ko tabari ni
English Translation: In this river here,
girl washing greens for the morning meal,
both you and I
have children of an age, it seems—
come, let me have yours for mine.
Meaning: Girl washing the morning greens in this river, you and I both have children the same age—come, let me ask for yours.
Commentary: Book Fourteen Azuma Poems 3440

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Miscellaneous Poems"
Calling to a woman washing morning greens in the river, the singer says that since they both have children of the same age, he would like hers as a bride for his. It seems a playful song sung at banquets, full of bright humor.
It is one of the miscellaneous poems. The text notes a variant third line, "mashi mo are mo."
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, "kono kawa ni": The river right in front, beginning from the scene at hand.
Second line, "asana arau ko": "Asana" are greens for breakfast; the line is hypermetric with six syllables.
Third line, "nare mo are mo": Setting her and himself side by side, in a hypermetric line of six syllables. The variant reads "mashi mo are mo."
Fourth line, "yochi o zo moteru": "Yochi" is thought to mean children of the same age; "zo" is a binding particle answered by the attributive "ru."
Final line, "ide ko tabari ni": "Ide" means come now, and "tabari" means to receive: let me ask for your child.
Source: Manyoshu
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