Muratori no asadachi inishi kimi ga ue wa sayaka ni kikitsu omoishi gotoku

群鳥の朝立ち去にし君が上は
さやかに聞きつ思ひしごとく

Roma-ji: Muratori no asadachi inishi kimi ga ue wa sayaka ni kikitsu omoishi gotoku
English Translation: Like a flock of birds
at morning you flew away;
news of how you fare
I have heard now clear and plain,
just as I had thought it'd be
Meaning: You set off at dawn like a flock of birds taking wing, and now I have heard clearly how you fare, just as I had hoped.
Commentary: Book Twenty Miscellaneous Poems 4474

Headnote: none. The left note reads: "The above poem was composed by Ōtomo no Yakamochi, Junior Assistant Minister of Military Affairs, on a later day, in response to the poem of Prince Yamashiro, Governor of Izumo."
You who set off at dawn like a flock of birds, I have heard clearly how you fare, just as I thought: a later reply to Prince Yamashiro's poem. The left note says Yakamochi composed it afterward in response to the Izumo governor's poem. Hearing of the prince's well-being from Nadomaro in the capital, it answers the wish "tell them I am well." A note in the original gives a variant last line, "omoishi mono o."
The author, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, son of Ōtomo no Tabito, was at this time Junior Assistant Minister of Military Affairs.

The first line, "muratori no," from a flock of birds taking off together, is a pillow word for asadachi, "setting off at dawn."
The second line, "asadachi inishi," means "who set off and went at dawn."
The third line, "kimi ga ue wa," "how you fare," refers to Prince Yamashiro.
The fourth line, "sayaka ni kikitsu," "I have heard it clearly," answers "please tell them" in the preceding poem. The poem pauses here.
The closing line, "omoishi gotoku," "just as I thought," adds by inversion his joy at the news.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Uchihisasu miyako no hito ni tsugemaku wa mishi hi no gotoku ari to tsugekoso
Next Poem: Hatsuyuki wa chie ni furishike koishiku no ōkaru ware wa mitsutsu shinowamu