Aratama no toshi yukigaeri haru tataba mazu waga yado ni uguisu wa nake

あらたまの年行き返り春立たば
まづ我が宿に鴬は鳴け

Roma-ji: Aratama no toshi yukigaeri haru tataba mazu waga yado ni uguisu wa nake
English Translation: When the new jewel year
turns around and comes anew
and the spring begins,
first of all, warbler, come sing
in the garden of my home
Meaning: When the new year comes round and spring begins, warbler, come and sing first of all at my house.
Commentary: Book Twenty Miscellaneous Poems 4490

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "On the eighteenth day of the twelfth month, a banquet at the residence of Prince Mikata, Chief Inspector of the Treasuries; three poems."
When the new year comes round and spring begins, warbler, sing first of all at my house: the poem longs for spring's arrival. The left note attributes it to Ōtomo no Yakamochi, Middle Controller of the Right. Taking up the warbler of the host's poem, he jokingly wishes to hear its first song at his own house before any other, closing the three.
The author, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, son of Ōtomo no Tabito, was at this time Middle Controller of the Right.

The first line, "aratama no," is a pillow word for "year."
The second line, "toshi yukigaeri," means "when the year turns round."
The third line, "haru tataba," "if spring begins," is a supposition, taking up "spring is tomorrow" of the poem two before.
The fourth line, "mazu waga yado ni," "first at my house," playfully names his own house rather than the host's.
The closing line, "uguisu wa nake," in the imperative, calls to the warbler: sing! It places at the end the warbler of the host's third line.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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