Tamahoko no michi no kamitachi mai wa semu aga omou kimi o natsukashimi seyo

玉桙の道の神たち賄はせむ
我が思ふ君をなつかしみせよ

Roma-ji: Tamahoko no michi no kamitachi mai wa semu aga omou kimi o natsukashimi seyo
English Translation: Jeweled spear-shaft road—
O you gods who guard the way,
offerings I'll bring;
the one I hold in my heart,
cherish him and hold him dear
Meaning: O gods of the road, I will bring you offerings—so please look kindly on the one I hold dear.
Commentary: Book Seventeen 4009

Headnote: the quatrain of "On suddenly seeing your poem expressing your feelings on going to the capital, the grief of parting in life tears my heart ten thousand times and my sorrow cannot be checked; I humbly offer what is in my heart in one poem with two quatrains"
He will make offerings to the gods of the road; may they cherish and protect his dear friend—a prayer for the safety of the departing Yakamochi. This is one of two tanka attached to the chōka Ikenushi sent on the second day of the fifth month of 747 in answer to Yakamochi's 4006 and 4007, written before Yakamochi went up to the capital. The chōka laments that, even in this province far from Nara, seeing his friend had cheered his heart, but now that Yakamochi sets out by royal command, he wonders whether it is he who stays behind or the traveler who will grieve more; and since putting it in words would be ill-omened, he offers cloth to the god of the pass on Mount Tonami, praying that his friend may come safely back and that they may meet when the new month comes, in the full bloom of the pinks. Taking up the chōka's prayer to the god of the pass, it asks the gods along the way to protect Yakamochi.
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 are poems sent in reply by Ōtomo no Sukune Ikenushi (second day of the fifth month)."

First line, "tamahoko no": a pillow word for road.
Second line, "michi no kamitachi": the gods who guard travelers; travelers offered cloth to them at passes and prayed for safety. Like 3930, in which Lady Sakanoue prayed to the gods of Etchū for Yakamochi's protection, it is a prayer to the gods of travel.
Third line, "mai wa semu": mai is an offering to the gods—"I will make offerings." The poem pauses here.
Fourth line, "aga omou kimi o": "the one I hold dear," meaning Yakamochi.
Fifth line, "natsukashimi seyo": "cherish him," asking the gods to treat Yakamochi with affection.
Author: Ōtomo no Ikenushi
Source: Manyoshu
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