Yotsu no fune haya kaeriko to shiraka tsuke waga mo no suso ni iwaite matamu

四つの船早帰り来としらか付け
我が裳の裾に斎ひて待たむ

Roma-ji: Yotsu no fune haya kaeriko to shiraka tsuke waga mo no suso ni iwaite matamu
English Translation: Come home soon, I pray,
all you four ships, swiftly back—
white offerings tied
to the hem of my own skirt,
I shall keep my vigil and wait
Meaning: Praying that the four ships come home swiftly, I will tie white offerings to the hem of my skirt and keep vigil as I wait.
Commentary: Book Nineteen 4265

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "An imperial poem, with a short poem, when Koma no Ason Fukushin of the Junior Fourth Rank Upper was sent by command to Naniwa to bestow wine and food on the envoys to Tang, Fujiwara no Ason Kiyokawa and others"; envoy, one poem
An envoy to the long poem composed when Empress Kōken sent Koma no Fukushin to Naniwa to bestow wine and food on Ambassador Fujiwara no Kiyokawa and his party, it says she will fasten white offerings to the hem of her skirt and wait, praying that the four ships come home quickly. It takes up the long poem's words that since Yamato is a land protected by the great gods, the four ships will cross and return safely, and they will share this wine on the day the envoys report back.
Embassies to Tang usually sailed in four ships, so "the four ships" means the whole party. The image of the sovereign herself wearing sacred articles to pray reveals deep concern for the envoys. The left note says, "The date of dispatching the imperial messenger and of the banquet with wine cannot be ascertained."
The poet, Empress Kōken, was the daughter of Emperor Shōmu and Empress Kōmyō and took the throne in 749. She later reascended the throne as Empress Shōtoku.

First line, "yotsu no fune" (the four ships), refers to the whole embassy fleet.
Second line, "haya kaeriko to" (come home soon): "ko" is the imperative of "come."
Third line, "shiraka tsuke" (fastening white offerings): "shiraka" were bleached hemp or mulberry fibers used in rites.
Fourth line, "waga mo no suso ni" (to the hem of my skirt): "mo" was a woman's skirt-like garment.
Fifth line, "iwaite matamu" (I will pray and wait): "iwau" means to keep pure and pray, and "mu" volitional.
Author: Empress Kōken
Source: Manyoshu
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