Iezuto ni kai o hiriu to okibe yori yosekuru nami ni koromode nurenu

家づとに貝を拾ふと沖辺より
寄せ来る波に衣手濡れぬ

Roma-ji: Iezuto ni kai o hiriu to okibe yori yosekuru nami ni koromode nurenu
English Translation: As a gift for home
I was gathering shells,
when from the offing
the waves came rolling in
and my sleeves were soaked
Meaning: As I gathered shells to take home as a gift, the waves came rolling in from the offing and soaked my sleeves.
Commentary: Book Fifteen Poems of the Envoys to Silla 3709

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Eighteen poems composed while anchored at Takashiki Bay, each expressing his feelings"
As he gathered shells to take home as a gift, the waves rolling in from the offing soaked his sleeves. In the heart that seeks gifts for his family, one senses homesickness picturing the day of return. The wet sleeves also suggest sleeves wet with tears, and from 3710 through 3712 there follow poems of gathering shells on the beach and wetting one's sleeves.
According to the headnote, this is one of eighteen poems composed while anchored at Takashiki Bay, each expressing his feelings. Takashiki Bay lies within Asō Bay in Tsushima, thought to be present-day Takeshiki in Mitsushima, Tsushima City, Nagasaki Prefecture. The last nine poems of the sequence have no left notes, and the author of this poem is not named.

First line, "iezuto ni": "iezuto" is a gift brought home.
Second line, "kai o hiriu to": "hirifu" means to pick up; "to" marks purpose: meaning to gather shells.
Third line, "okibe yori": from the area of the offing.
Fourth line, "yosekuru nami ni": by the waves rolling in from the offing.
Fifth line, "koromode nurenu": "koromode" means sleeves and "nu" is perfective: my sleeves have been soaked, the poem ends.
Source: Manyoshu
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