Aki no ta no homuki migateri waga seko ga fusa taorikeru ominaeshi kamo

秋の田の穂向き見がてり我が背子が
ふさ手折り来るをみなへしかも

Roma-ji: Aki no ta no homuki migateri waga seko ga fusa taorikeru ominaeshi kamo
English Translation: Looking as you went
how the autumn rice ears bend
in the fields, my friend,
you have broken armfuls of
these maiden flowers for us
Meaning: So these are the maiden flowers you picked in armfuls, my friend, while you went round to see how the rice ears were ripening in the autumn fields.
Commentary: Book Seventeen 3943

Headnote: "Poems from a banquet gathered at the residence of Governor Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi on the night of the seventh day of the eighth month"
While going round to see how the rice was ripening in the autumn fields, his friend has picked armfuls of ominaeshi—a poem delighting in the flowers brought to the banquet. This is one of the poems from a banquet held on the night of the seventh day of the eighth month of 746, when the provincial officials gathered at the residence of Yakamochi, newly arrived as Governor of Etchū. At its opening the host Yakamochi praises the ominaeshi gathered by an official guest, showing his welcome.
The poet, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, was the son of the Major Counselor Ōtomo no Tabito. Appointed Governor of Etchū in 746, he spent five years there, later serving as Junior Counselor and Governor of Inaba before rising to Middle Counselor. He is thought to have played a central role in compiling the Man'yōshū.
The left note reads, "The above poem is by Governor Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi."

First line, "aki no ta no": the autumn rice fields a provincial governor inspected as part of his duties.
Second line, "homuki migateri": homuki is how the rice ears hang, the state of the harvest, and gateri means "while also doing."
Third line, "waga seko ga": a friendly address to a man, here a fellow official.
Fourth line, "fusa taorikeru": fusa means "plenty"; the characters for "come" are read keru, giving "you have picked and brought."
Fifth line, "ominaeshi kamo": "so these are maiden flowers," an exclamation. The next poem, 3944, opens by taking up "ominaeshi," and 3951 sings of them as well, making the flower a thread linking the banquet poems.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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Next Poem: Ominaeshi sakitaru nobe o yukimeguri kimi o omoide tamotorikinu