Sakurabana ima sakari nari Naniwa no umi oshiteru miya ni kikoshimesu nae

桜花今盛りなり難波の海
押し照る宮に聞こしめすなへ

Roma-ji: Sakurabana ima sakari nari Naniwa no umi oshiteru miya ni kikoshimesu nae
English Translation: Cherry blossoms now
have come into their full bloom;
by Naniwa's sea
in the palace bathed in light
as our lord holds sway, just so
Meaning: The cherry blossoms are now at their height, just as our lord rules the land from the radiant palace by the sea of Naniwa.
Commentary: Book Twenty Frontier Guard Poems 4361

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Poems of the frontier guards sent in rotation to the provinces of Tsukushi in the second month of Tenpyō Shōhō 7, year of the wood sheep," followed by "A poem with tanka setting forth my humble thoughts."
The cherry blossoms are at their height, just as our lord rules from the radiant palace by the sea of Naniwa: a poem praising the glory of the Naniwa palace. According to the headnote, it is the first envoy to a long poem (4360 in this book) in which Yakamochi set forth his humble thoughts, and the left note dates it to the thirteenth day of the second month. Staying at Naniwa to inspect the guards, Yakamochi praises the sovereign's reign through the spring scenery of the palace. Amid the poems of the guards' sad partings, a poem of court praise is placed here.
The author, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, son of Ōtomo no Tabito, was at this time Junior Assistant Minister of Military Affairs.

The first line, "sakurabana," names the flower that symbolizes spring at its height, laid over the palace's prosperity.
The second line, "ima sakari nari," "now at its height," ends the first sentence.
The third line, "Naniwa no umi," the sea before the Naniwa palace, gives its setting.
The fourth line, "oshiteru miya ni," uses oshiteru, "shining over all," properly a pillow word for Naniwa, here describing the palace.
The closing line, "kikoshimesu nae," uses kikoshimesu, honorific for "to rule," and nae, "together with," praising the coincidence of the reign and the cherry blossoms in full bloom.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Tsukushi e ni hemukaru fune no itsushikamo tsukaematsurite kuni ni hemukamo
Next Poem: Unahara no yutakeki mitsutsu ashi ga chiru Naniwa ni toshi wa henubeku omōyu