Amakumo o horo ni fumiadashi narukami mo kyō ni masarite kashikokeme ya mo

天雲をほろに踏みあだし鳴る神も
今日にまさりて畏けめやも

Roma-ji: Amakumo o horo ni fumiadashi narukami mo kyō ni masarite kashikokeme ya mo
English Translation: The clouds of heaven
trampling into scattered shreds,
even the thunder god—
could he be more awesome
than what I behold today?
Meaning: Even the thunder god, who tramples the clouds of heaven to shreds as he roars—could he inspire more awe than I feel on this day?
Commentary: Book Nineteen 4235

Headnote: "A poem presented to the Emperor by Agata no Inukai, a lady of the household of the Chancellor Fujiwara"
The poem entrusts reverence for the emperor to thunder: even the thunder god, scattering the clouds of heaven underfoot as he roars, could not be more awe-inspiring than this day in the emperor's presence. Citing the most fearful thing, thunder, it praises the emperor's majesty as greater still.
The left note says, "The above poem was recited by the Secretary Kume no Ason Hironawa"; Hironawa transmitted it as an old poem at the banquet on the third day of the first month. Some hold that the emperor to whom it was presented was Emperor Shōmu. The second line is hypermetric.
The poet, Lady Agata no Inukai, is thought to be Agata no Inukai no Michiyo, who became the wife of Fujiwara no Fuhito. Mother of Tachibana no Moroe and Empress Kōmyō, she served at court for many years and was granted the surname Tachibana.

First line, "amakumo o" (the clouds of heaven), depicts the sky where the thunder god rages.
Second line, "horo ni fumiadashi" (trampling them to shreds), is hypermetric; "horo ni" means into pieces and "fumiadasu" to scatter by trampling, showing the god's violent power.
Third line, "narukami mo" (even the thunder god): "narukami" is thunder, and "mo" means "even."
Fourth line, "kyō ni masarite" (more than today), takes this day in the emperor's presence as the measure.
Fifth line, "kashikokeme ya mo" (could it be more awesome?): "ya mo" is rhetorical, closing with the emperor's majesty as supreme.
Author: Agata no Inukai no Michiyo
Source: Manyoshu
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