Ominaeshi sakitaru nobe o yukimeguri kimi o omoide tamotorikinu

をみなへし咲きたる野辺を行き廻り
君を思ひ出た廻り来ぬ

Roma-ji: Ominaeshi sakitaru nobe o yukimeguri kimi o omoide tamotorikinu
English Translation: Through the open fields
where the maiden flowers bloom
I went wandering,
and remembering you, my lord,
I came the long way round
Meaning: I wandered through the fields where the maiden flowers bloom, and thinking of you, I took the long way round to come here.
Commentary: Book Seventeen 3944

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "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"
Wandering through fields of ominaeshi and thinking of his lord, he came the long way round—a poem expressing affection for the host Yakamochi. 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. Taking up the ominaeshi praised by Yakamochi in the preceding poem, he answers that he came picking flowers with his host in mind.
The poet, Ōtomo no Ikenushi, served as Secretary of Etchū under Governor Yakamochi. A member of the same clan and well versed in Chinese verse and prose, he exchanged many poems and letters with Yakamochi during the Etchū years.
The left note reads, "The above three poems are by Secretary Ōtomo no Sukune Ikenushi."

First line, "ominaeshi": taking up the last line of the preceding poem, 3943, showing the give-and-take of exchanged poems.
Second line, "sakitaru nobe o": "the fields where they bloom." The same line, "ominaeshi sakitaru nobe o," appears in 3951 of this book, repeated within the banquet poems.
Third line, "yukimeguri": "wandering here and there."
Fourth line, "kimi o omoide": "remembering you," meaning the host Yakamochi.
Fifth line, "tamotorikinu": ta is a prefix and motoru means to go round; "I came the long way round."
Author: Ōtomo no Ikenushi
Source: Manyoshu
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