Takayama no iwao ni ouru suga no ne no nemokorogoro ni furioku shirayuki

高山の巌に生ふる菅の根の
ねもころごろに降り置く白雪

Roma-ji: Takayama no iwao ni ouru suga no ne no nemokorogoro ni furioku shirayuki
English Translation: On a lofty peak
the sedge that grows from the crag
roots deep and tangled;
so thoroughly, so tenderly
falls and settles the white snow
Meaning: Like the deep roots of sedge growing from the crags of a high mountain, the white snow falls and settles so thoroughly, so kindly.
Commentary: Book Twenty Miscellaneous Poems 4454

Headnote: "On the twenty-eighth day of the eleventh month, the Minister of the Left gathered at the residence of the Minister of Military Affairs, Tachibana no Naramaro, for a banquet; one poem."
Like the deep roots of sedge on a high mountain's crags, the white snow falls and settles so thoroughly: a poem praising the snow at the banquet. According to the headnote, it comes from a banquet on the twenty-eighth of the eleventh month at the residence of the minister's son, Naramaro, and the left note attributes it to the Minister of the Left. It may also be read as blessing the warmth of those gathered at the banquet, laid over the snow's careful falling.
The author, Tachibana no Moroe, a descendant of Emperor Bidatsu, was formerly called Prince Katsuragi. At this time he was Minister of the Left.

The first line, "takayama no," means "of a high mountain."
The second line, "iwao ni ouru," means "growing from the rocks."
The third line, "suga no ne no," "the roots of sedge": the first three lines form a preface leading by the sound ne to nemokorogoro ni.
The fourth line, "nemokorogoro ni," "thoroughly, tenderly," turns from the roots of the preface to the settling snow.
The closing line, "furioku shirayuki," ends on a noun praising the white snow that has fallen and settled.
Author: Tachibana no Moroe
Source: Manyoshu
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