Furu yuki no shirokami made ni ōkimi ni tsukaematsureba tōtoku mo aru ka

降る雪の白髪までに大君に
仕へまつれば貴くもあるか

Roma-ji: Furu yuki no shirokami made ni ōkimi ni tsukaematsureba tōtoku mo aru ka
English Translation: Like the falling snow
white has grown my hair, until
this late age I've served
my great sovereign, and indeed
how precious and how noble
Meaning: Until my hair has turned as white as the falling snow, I have served my Sovereign—and how precious and noble that feels.
Commentary: Book Seventeen 3922

Headnote: "In the first month of the eighteenth year of Tenpyō, white snow fell heavily and lay several inches deep. Thereupon the Minister of the Left, Lord Tachibana, leading the Major Counselor Fujiwara no Toyonari Ason and the princes and courtiers, went to the residence of the Retired Sovereign (the west court of the Chūgū palace) and served by sweeping the snow. An imperial command was then issued, seating the ministers, councilors and princes in the great hall and the lords and officials in the south gallery, and wine was bestowed at a banquet. The sovereign said: "You princes and lords, compose a little on this snow, and each present your poem." A poem by Tachibana no Sukune, Minister of the Left, in response to the command"
To have served the sovereign until his hair turned white as falling snow seems truly precious—a poem expressing long service with gratitude. In the first month of 746, on a day when several inches of snow had fallen, the Minister of the Left Tachibana no Moroe led the princes and courtiers to the residence of the Retired Sovereign Genshō and served by sweeping the snow. This is one of the poems composed on the theme of snow at the banquet that followed, in response to the sovereign's command. As the first of the banquet, Moroe lays the falling snow over his own white hair and, with a dignity fitting the formal occasion, rejoices in his long service to the Retired Sovereign.
The poet, Tachibana no Moroe, was the son of Prince Minu and Agata no Inukai no Michiyo. Originally Prince Katsuragi, he left the imperial family and took the name Tachibana no Sukune. At this time he was Minister of the Left at the center of government, and over sixty years old.
The left note adds that eighteen others, beginning with Fujiwara no Toyonari, also presented poems in response to the command, but these were not written down at the time and were lost. It also tells how Hata no Chōgen, unable to compose a poem, was teased by Tachibana no Moroe that he should pay with musk instead, and fell silent.

First line, "furu yuki no": "like the falling snow," a simile introducing "white hair." Taking the snow before him as the theme, he applies it directly to his own old age.
Second line, "shirokami made ni": "until my hair is white," expressing service over many long years.
Third line, "ōkimi ni": here the Retired Sovereign Genshō.
Fourth line, "tsukaematsureba": "since I have served," a fulfilled condition with ba after the realis form.
Fifth line, "tōtoku mo aru ka": "how precious it is," ka being exclamatory. The next poem, 3923, ends with the same line, so the poems in response to the command are united by words of praise.
Author: Tachibana no Moroe
Source: Manyoshu
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