Ōmiji o shirube nakute mo miteshi gana seki no konata wa wabishikarikeri - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

あふみちをしるべなくても見てしがな
関のこなたはわびしかりけり

Roma-ji: Ōmiji o shirube nakute mo miteshi gana seki no konata wa wabishikarikeri
English Translation: The road to Ōmi,
the road to meeting you, I'd see
though I had no guide—
on this side of the barrier,
how wretched it is to stay
Meaning: I long to see the road to Ōmi, the road to meeting, even with no guide to lead me. How miserable it is to stay on this side of the barrier.
Commentary: Book Eleven Love Poems III 785

Headnote: "Sent to a woman."
The poet says he would see the road to Ōmi even without a guide, for staying on this side of the barrier is wretched. Overlaying "the road to meeting" on Ōmi beyond the Ōsaka Barrier, he pleads the misery of being stuck on this side, not yet able to meet her.
According to the headnote, the poem was sent to a woman. The next poem, 786, is Shimotsuke's reply.
The poet, Minamoto no Nakamasa, lived in the early Heian period, and little is known of his career.

The first line, "Ōmiji o," is a pivot word joining "au michi," the road to meeting, with "Ōmiji," the road to Ōmi Province.
The second line, "shirube nakute mo," means "even without a guide."
The third line, "miteshi gana," means "I wish to see," with "teshi gana" expressing a wish. The poem pauses here.
The fourth line, "seki no konata wa," means "this side of the barrier," that is, the Ōsaka Barrier. With "seki no anata wa" in the fourth line of the next poem, 786, it forms a contrast of this side and that.
The last line, "wabishikarikeri," means "is so wretched," with "keri" expressing a sigh of realization.
Author: Minamoto no Nakamasa
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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