Fujinami no kage nasu umi no soko kiyomi shizuku ishi o mo tama to zo waga miru

藤波の影なす海の底清み
沈く石をも玉とぞ我が見る

Roma-ji: Fujinami no kage nasu umi no soko kiyomi shizuku ishi o mo tama to zo waga miru
English Translation: Wisteria waves
mirrored in the water here,
its bed so clear
that even the sunken stones
I see as precious jewels
Meaning: The water mirrors the wisteria, and its depths are so clear that even the stones lying at the bottom look to me like jewels.
Commentary: Book Nineteen 4199

Headnote: "Four poems composed on the twelfth day, when on an excursion to the lake of Fuse we moored our boat in the bay of Tako, gazed at the wisteria, and each expressed his feelings"
The first of four poems composed on the twelfth day of the fourth month, when the party, on an excursion to the lake of Fuse, moored at the bay of Tako and gazed at the wisteria. It praises the purity of surface and depth: because the water where the wisteria casts its reflection is so clear to the bottom, even the stones lying there look as beautiful as jewels.
The left note reads "the Governor, Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi"; the governor composes first, and his fellow officials respond one after another. The bay of Tako was an inlet of the lake of Fuse, thought to be around Shimotago in present-day Himi, Toyama Prefecture, and is still known today for its wisteria.
The poet, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, was the son of the Grand Counselor Ōtomo no Tabito. From 746 he served as Governor of Etchū, living at the provincial headquarters in what is now Fushiki, Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture. He is regarded as the leading poet of the Nara period and is thought to have played a central role in compiling the Man'yōshū.

First line, "fujinami no" (of the wisteria waves), likens wisteria clusters swaying in the wind to waves, referring to the wisteria along the shore.
Second line, "kage nasu umi no" (of the water mirroring them), refers to the lake surface reflecting the blossoms; "umi" here means the lake of Fuse.
Third line, "soko kiyomi" (since its bed is clear): "mi" expresses cause, giving the reason for the comparison that follows.
Fourth line, "shizuku ishi o mo" (even the sunken stones): "shizuku" means to be seen lying underwater, and "mo" emphasizes "even such stones."
Fifth line, "tama to zo waga miru" (I see as jewels): "zo" binds with the attributive "miru," closing with emphasis on the wonder of seeing stones as jewels.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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