Yamabiko no koe no manimani toiyukaba munashiki sora ni yuki ya kaeran - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

山びこの声のまにまに訪ひ行かば
むなしき空に行きや帰らん

Roma-ji: Yamabiko no koe no manimani toiyukaba munashiki sora ni yuki ya kaeran
English Translation: If I went to you
following the mountain echo
wherever it led,
into an empty sky, I fear,
I'd go and then come back
Meaning: If I went seeking you, following only the voice of the echo, would I not reach an empty sky and come back with nothing?
Commentary: Book Thirteen Love Poems V 970

Headnote: "Reply."
The poet says that if one went visiting at the call of the echo, one would only reach an empty sky and come back. Taking up the echo of the preceding poem, the reply says that even if lured by words as insubstantial as an echo, going would end in an empty sky, turning back the unreliability of the other's words.
It is the reply to the preceding poem, 969. Taking up its echo and sky, it answers with "munashiki sora," and the next poem, 971, comes after the exchange had gone on for some time.
The poet is listed as anonymous, and the composer's name has not come down to us.

The first line, "Yamabiko no," means "of the echo," taking up the word in the third line of the preceding poem.
The second line, "koe no manimani," means "just as the voice leads."
The third line, "toiyukaba," means "if I go visiting," with "ba" marking a supposition.
The fourth line, "munashiki sora ni," means "into an empty sky," taking up "sora" in the preceding poem.
The last line, "yuki ya kaeran," means "would I go and come back," with "ya" an interrogative binding particle closed by the attributive "ran."
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
Prev Poem: Uchiwabite yobawamu koe ni yamabiko no kotaenu sora wa araji to zo omou
Next Poem: Aratama no toshi no mitose wa utsusemi no munashiki ne o ya nakite kurasamu