Shiranami no yosuru isomi o kogu fune no kaji toru ma naku omohoeshi kimi

白波の寄する磯廻を漕ぐ舟の
楫取る間なく思ほえし君

Roma-ji: Shiranami no yosuru isomi o kogu fune no kaji toru ma naku omohoeshi kimi
English Translation: Along the rocky shore
where the white waves come rolling,
like a rowing boat
that never rests its oars,
so unceasingly I thought of you
Meaning: Like a boat rowing along the rocky shore where the white waves break, never resting its oars, so ceaselessly did I think of you.
Commentary: Book Seventeen 3961

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Two poems of rejoicing together, composed by Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi, Governor of Etchū"
As a boat rowing along the wave-washed shore never rests its oars, so he thought of his friend without pause—a poem of his feelings for Ikenushi. In the eighth month of 746 the Secretary Ōtomo no Ikenushi went to the capital as envoy bearing the census register, and returned to his post in the eleventh month of that year. When a banquet of poetry and wine was held to celebrate his return, snow suddenly fell more than a foot deep, and fishermen's boats were afloat on the sea. This is one of two poems in which Yakamochi set his feelings upon these two views. Gazing at the fishing boats afloat on the sea, he lays over the motion of their oars the heart that never ceased to think of Ikenushi.
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, "In the eighth month of the eighteenth year of Tenpyō, Secretary Ōtomo no Sukune Ikenushi went to the capital as envoy with the census register, and in the eleventh month of the same year returned to his post. So a banquet of poetry and wine was held, with strings played and drinking enjoyed. That day white snow suddenly fell and lay more than a foot deep, and fishermen's boats went out to sea and floated on the waves. Thereupon Governor Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi set his feelings upon these two views and composed what was in his heart."

First line, "shiranami no": showing the sea, it opens on the winter sea seen from the banquet.
Second line, "yosuru isomi o": isomi is the winding edge of a rocky shore.
Third line, "kogu fune no": the fishermen's boats of the left note; the upper three lines form a preface introducing "never resting the oars."
Fourth line, "kaji toru ma naku": "with no pause in plying the oars," a figure for "ceaselessly." Poem 4027 of this book uses the same expression, "like a boat rowing… never resting its oars, I think of the capital," and it is akin to "kajima ni mo" in 3894.
Fifth line, "omohoeshi kimi": "you, of whom I thought," ending on a noun with affection for Ikenushi. The preceding poem, 3960, takes the snow and this one the boats, singing separately of the two views named in the left note.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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