Ie ni shite yuiteshi himo o tokisakezu omou kokoro o tare ka shiramu mo

家にして結ひてし紐を解き放けず
思ふ心を誰れか知らむも

Roma-ji: Ie ni shite yuiteshi himo o tokisakezu omou kokoro o tare ka shiramu mo
English Translation: The cord that was tied
at home before I left,
never loosening,
this heart of mine that longs for her—
who is there that knows of it
Meaning: I have never loosened the cord that was tied for me at home—who could know this heart of mine that longs for her?
Commentary: Book Seventeen 3950

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"
Who could know his heart, which keeps thinking of his wife without loosening the cord tied at home?—an answer to Ikenushi's jest, reaffirming his constancy. 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. Parrying Ikenushi's banter, he once more expresses the depth of feeling with which he thinks of his wife in the capital, cord still tied.
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, "ie ni shite": "at home," in the capital.
Second line, "yuiteshi himo o": the same as the fourth line of 3948, the cord tied at parting.
Third line, "tokisakezu": "without loosening," answering by negation Ikenushi's "himo tokisakete" in the preceding poem, 3949.
Fourth line, "omou kokoro o": "this heart that keeps thinking of her."
Fifth line, "tare ka shiramu mo": ka is interrogative, bound to the attributive mu, and mo is exclamatory—"who could know it?", appealing to the depth of his feeling.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Amazakaru hina ni aru ware o utagata mo himo tokisakete omohosurame ya
Next Poem: Higurashi no nakinuru toki wa ominaeshi sakitaru nobe o yukitsutsu mibeshi