Kozo no aki aimishi mani ma kyō mireba omo ya mezurashi miyakokatabito

去年の秋相見しまにま今日見れば
面やめづらし都方人

Roma-ji: Kozo no aki aimishi mani ma kyō mireba omo ya mezurashi miyakokatabito
English Translation: Since last autumn when
we met and parted, seeing
you again today,
how fresh and dear your face appears,
you who come from the capital!
Meaning: We have not met since last autumn, and seeing you today, how fresh your face looks, you who have come back from the capital!
Commentary: Book Eighteen 4117

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "The provincial secretary Kume no Ason Hironawa went to the capital in the twentieth year of Tenpyō, attached to the envoy for the annual reports. His duties completed, he returned to his post on the twenty-seventh of the intercalary fifth month of the first year of Tenpyō Kanpō. Therefore a banquet of poems and wine was held at the governor's residence. At that time the host, the governor Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi, composed a poem [with short poems]." "Two envoys."
The poet says that, not having met since last autumn, the face of the man returned from the capital looks wonderfully fresh today. It comes from a banquet welcoming the secretary Kume no Hironawa back to Etchū after his journey to the capital as an envoy for the annual reports, expressing the joy of reunion and a dazzled affection for a subordinate who returns wrapped in the air of the capital.
Ōtomo no Yakamochi was the son of Ōtomo no Tabito, and from 746 he served as governor of Etchū. He is believed to have played a central role in compiling the Man'yōshū, and this book has the character of a poetic diary of his years in Etchū.
Hironawa went up to the capital as an envoy for the annual reports in 748, and having completed his duties, returned to Etchū on the twenty-seventh of the intercalary fifth month of 749. The long poem sings of the days spent longing for his return and the joy of meeting again.

First line, "kozo no aki": "last autumn," the time when Hironawa set out for the capital.
Second line, "aimishi mani ma": "mani ma" means "just as it was," "ever since," that is, they have not met since last autumn.
Third line, "kyō mireba": contrasting last year and today, it shows that this is a long-awaited reunion.
Fourth line, "omo ya mezurashi": "ya" is exclamatory, and "mezurashi" means fresh and wonderful. The poem pauses after the fourth line.
Last line, "miyakokatabito": "a person from the capital," one returned from there; ending on a noun, it closes as if calling out to Hironawa. Where Hironawa's 4050, sung for Sakimaro, used "mezurashiki kimi" to welcome a guest from the capital, here Hironawa himself is welcomed as one "mezurashi," returned from the capital.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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