Ōbune ni makaji shijinuki toki matsu to ware wa omoedo tsuki zo henikeru

大船に真楫しじ貫き時待つと
我れは思へど月ぞ経にける

Roma-ji: Ōbune ni makaji shijinuki toki matsu to ware wa omoedo tsuki zo henikeru
English Translation: On the great ship
with oars set thick on both sides
waiting for the time,
so I thought, and yet
the months have slipped away
Meaning: With oars set thick along the great ship, I thought we were only waiting for the right time to sail; yet the months have slipped away.
Commentary: Book Fifteen Poems of the Envoys to Silla 3679

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Seven poems composed while anchored at Hikitsu Lodge"
He thought he was simply waiting, with oars set along the great ship, for the time to sail, but before he knew it the months had passed. It expresses the impatience of watching the autumn days of the promised return slip away in vain as one wait for the wind follows another. The upper phrase, "ōbune ni makaji shijinuki," is the same as the upper phrase of Hitomaro's Tanabata poem recited as an old poem, 3611 of this book, so the moon's boat crossing the heavens and the earthly ship unable to sail stand in contrast.
According to the headnote, this is one of seven poems composed while anchored at Hikitsu Lodge. Hikitsu was a harbor in Shima District, Chikuzen Province, thought to be near Hikitsu Bay in Shima, present-day Itoshima, Fukuoka Prefecture. The author of this poem is not named.

First line, "ōbune ni": the great official ship carrying the embassy.
Second line, "makaji shijinuki": "makaji" are oars set on both sides and "shijinuku" means to fit many, the ship made ready to sail. The same line as in 3611 of this book.
Third line, "toki matsu to": waiting for the right tide and wind for sailing.
Fourth line, "ware wa omoedo": with the adversative "do" it turns: though I thought so.
Fifth line, "tsuki zo henikeru": "zo" is a binding particle resolved by the attributive "keru" (kakarimusubi): the months have passed, the poem ends in lament.
Source: Manyoshu
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