Tōto ni mo kimi ga nageku to kikitsureba ne nomi shi nakayu aiomou ware wa

遠音にも君が嘆くと聞きつれば
哭のみし泣かゆ相思ふ我れは

Roma-ji: Tōto ni mo kimi ga nageku to kikitsureba ne nomi shi nakayu aiomou ware wa
English Translation: Even from afar
hearing that you are grieving,
since I have heard it,
I can only weep aloud,
I who hold you dear
Meaning: Even hearing from far away that you are grieving, I cannot help but weep aloud—I, who hold you so dear.
Commentary: Book Nineteen 4215

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "A lament, with short poems"; envoys, two poems
The first envoy to the lament consoling a son-in-law who had lost his mother, it says that merely hearing from afar that he grieves, the poet, who holds him dear, can only weep aloud. Taking up the close of the long poem, where tears will not stop at the distant news, it expresses sympathy with the other's sorrow.
The left note says, "The above was composed by Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi to console his son-in-law, the second son of the Minister of the Right of the Southern House of Fujiwara, on the loss of his loving mother. Twenty-seventh day of the fifth month." It consoles the second son of Minister of the Right Fujiwara no Toyonari, said to be Yakamochi's son-in-law (most likely Fujiwara no Tsugutada), on the death of his mother.
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, "tōto ni mo" (even from afar): "tōto" is news carried from a distance, taking up "even from afar, hearing it, I grieve" at the close of the long poem.
Second line, "kimi ga nageku to" (that you grieve): "kimi" refers to the son-in-law being consoled.
Third line, "kikitsureba" (since I have heard), gives the reason for the lower verse as a definite condition.
Fourth line, "ne nomi shi nakayu" (I cannot help but weep aloud): "ne" is weeping, "shi" is emphatic, and "yu" spontaneous; the poem pauses here.
Fifth line, "aiomou ware wa" (I, who hold you dear), reveals the weeper last by inversion, closing with affection.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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