Mugura hau iyashiki yado mo ōkimi no masamu to shiraba tama shikamashi o

葎延ふ賎しき宿も大君の
座さむと知らば玉敷かましを

Roma-ji: Mugura hau iyashiki yado mo ōkimi no masamu to shiraba tama shikamashi o
English Translation: Where the weeds run wild,
this lowly house of mine—had I
known that our great lord
would honor it with his presence,
I'd have spread it with jewels
Meaning: Had I known that our sovereign would honor this lowly, weed-grown house of mine, I would have spread the ground with jewels.
Commentary: Book Nineteen 4270

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Four poems from the imperial banquet held at the residence of the Minister of the Left, Tachibana no Ason, on the eighth day of the eleventh month"
The host, Tachibana no Moroe, answers the Retired Emperor's preceding poem: had he known his sovereign would come to his humble house overgrown with weeds, he would have spread it with jewels to welcome him—modestly expressing gratitude for the visit.
Humbly calling his home "a lowly house where weeds sprawl," he expresses awe at an honor beyond his station—a greeting fitting a banquet host. The left note says, "The above poem: Lord Tachibana, Minister of the Left."
The poet, Tachibana no Moroe, was a son of Prince Minu and Agata no Inukai no Michiyo. Originally Prince Kazuragi, he left the imperial family and took the surname Tachibana. As Minister of the Left he led the government in Shōmu's reign and was close to Ōtomo no Yakamochi.

First line, "mugura hau" (where weeds sprawl): "mugura" are tangled weeds, a humble image of a neglected home.
Second line, "iyashiki yado mo" (even this lowly house), humbly describes his residence.
Third line, "ōkimi no" (our sovereign), refers to the visiting Retired Emperor.
Fourth line, "masamu to shiraba" (had I known he would come): "masu" is honorific for "be" or "stay."
Fifth line, "tama shikamashi o" (I would have spread jewels): "mashi" is counterfactual.
Author: Tachibana no Moroe
Source: Manyoshu
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