Tsukushi naru omoisomegawa watarinaba mizu ya masaran yodomu toki naku - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

筑紫なる思ひそめ河渡りなば
水やまさらんよどむ時なく

Roma-ji: Tsukushi naru omoisomegawa watarinaba mizu ya masaran yodomu toki naku
English Translation: In far Tsukushi
the Somegawa, river of love
first felt—if I cross it,
will the waters rise and rise
with no moment of stillness
Meaning: If I cross the Somegawa in Tsukushi, the river of a love just begun, will the waters not rise and rise, without a moment's stillness?
Commentary: Book Fourteen Love Poems VI 1046

Headnote: "Sent to a woman."
The poet says that if he crosses the Somegawa of first love in Tsukushi, the waters will rise without pause. Joining the Somegawa, a famous river in Chikuzen, with "omoisome," to begin to love, he says that once he crosses through the love he has begun, his feeling will only swell.
According to the headnote, he sent it to a woman, and her reply is placed in the next poem, 1047. Like the "yodo" of 994 and 995 in this book, it speaks of love through standing or flowing water.
The poet, listed as "Fujiwara no Sanetada," is taken to be Fujiwara no Sanetada, and little more is known of his life.

The first line, "Tsukushi naru," means "in Tsukushi," with "naru" marking location. "Kokorozukushi" in the fourth line of the next poem takes it up.
The second line, "omoisomegawa," is the Somegawa in Chikuzen, with "some" joining the place name and "omoisome," to begin to love.
The third line, "watarinaba," means "if I should cross," likening the fulfilment of love to crossing a river.
The fourth line, "mizu ya masaran," means "will the waters rise," with "ya" an interrogative binding particle closed by the attributive "n." It stands for growing love.
The last line, "yodomu toki naku," means "with no time of standing still," turning back to the fourth line by inversion. It echoes the "yodo" of 994 and 995 in this book.
Author: Fujiwara no Sanetada
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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