Shinazakaru Koshi ni itsutose sumisumite tachiwakaremaku oshiki yoi kamo

しなざかる越に五年住み住みて
立ち別れまく惜しき宵かも

Roma-ji: Shinazakaru Koshi ni itsutose sumisumite tachiwakaremaku oshiki yoi kamo
English Translation: In far-off Koshi,
five long years I have lived,
lived on and on here,
and now that we must part,
how precious is this night
Meaning: Five years I have lived on and on in the far-off land of Koshi, and now, on the eve of our parting, how dear this evening is to me.
Commentary: Book Nineteen 4250

Headnote: "Accompanying the envoy with the census accounts, I was to set out for the capital on the fifth day of the eighth month. Accordingly, on the fourth, a farewell feast from the provincial kitchen was laid at the residence of the Assistant Governor, Kura no Imiki Nawamaro. On this occasion Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi composed a poem"
Composed at a farewell banquet at the residence of the assistant governor, Kura no Nawamaro, on the eve of leaving Etchū, it says that having lived on and on for five years in the distant land of Koshi, this evening when they must finally part is precious to him—lingering affection for Etchū.
Yakamochi was to go up to the capital serving also as envoy with the census accounts, and the provincial officials held a farewell banquet the day before. The repetition "sumisumite" (living and living) carries the weight of five years and deep attachment to life in Etchū.
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, "shinazakaru," is a pillow word for Koshi.
Second line, "Koshi ni itsutose" (five years in Koshi), states the term of service concretely.
Third line, "sumisumite" (living on and on), repeats "sumi" to express the length and weight of the years.
Fourth line, "tachiwakaremaku" (that we must part): "maku" nominalizes the verb.
Fifth line, "oshiki yoi kamo" (how precious this evening): "kamo" is exclamatory.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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