Tama shikazu kimi ga kuite iu horie ni wa tama shiki mitete tsugite kayowamu

玉敷かず君が悔いて言ふ堀江には
玉敷き満てて継ぎて通はむ

Roma-ji: Tama shikazu kimi ga kuite iu horie ni wa tama shiki mitete tsugite kayowamu
English Translation: Jewels were not spread,
so you say with regret—yet
on this Horie
I will lay jewels to the full
and come again and again.
Meaning: On the Horie, where you regret you spread no jewels, I will lay jewels in abundance and keep coming back again and again.
Commentary: Book Eighteen 4057

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Seven poems from the time when the Retired Sovereign resided at the Naniwa Palace [this is Empress Kiyotarashihime]." "One imperial poem [in response]."
In this imperial poem, the Retired Empress answers that on the Horie, where the Minister regrets not having spread jewels, she herself will spread them in abundance and continue to come again and again. Warmly accepting Moroe's humility and promising to return, she shows her satisfaction with his hospitality and her trust in her minister.
Empress Genshō was the daughter of Prince Kusakabe and a granddaughter of Emperor Tenmu. After abdicating she was held in high regard as Retired Sovereign during the reign of Emperor Shōmu.
The left note reads, "The two poems above are the Minister of the Left's poem and the imperial poem from the day of a banquet when the royal boat went up the canal." The text notes a variant fourth line, "tama koki shikite," but since this is not part of the poem itself it has been omitted, and the main reading "tama shiki mitete" is followed.

First line, "tama shikazu": taking up "tama shikamashi o" from the preceding poem, it speaks of the jewels not spread.
Second line, "kimi ga kuite iu": "kimi" refers to the Minister of the Left, Tachibana no Moroe. His humble words are received as an expression of regret.
Third line, "Horie ni wa": using the first line of the preceding poem as it is, she shows that her answer concerns the same place.
Fourth line, "tama shiki mitete": reversing "tama shikamashi o," she answers his regret at not spreading jewels with her own resolve to spread them in abundance, a matched contrast of "not spread" and "spread to the full."
Last line, "tsugite kayowamu": "tsugite" means "continuing," and "mu" is an auxiliary of intention. She closes with a promise to keep returning.
Author: Empress Genshō
Source: Manyoshu
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