Ki no kuni no Nagusa no hama wa kimi nare ya koto no iukai ari to kikitsuru - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

紀の国の名草の浜は君なれや
事のいふかひありと聞きつる

Roma-ji: Ki no kuni no Nagusa no hama wa kimi nare ya koto no iukai ari to kikitsuru
English Translation: In the land of Ki
the beach they call Nagusa,
might that be you?
There is worth in speaking there,
like shells upon the shore, I hear
Meaning: Is it you, I wonder, who are that beach of Nagusa in the land of Ki? I heard there was worth in speaking there, as there are shells on its shore—and indeed I have been consoled.
Commentary: Book Seventeen Miscellaneous Poems III 1223

Headnote: "When a man who was Assistant Governor of Kii stopped visiting her, she sent her grievance to the man's elder sister, who wrote back saying how very painful it was; this was her reply."
The poet asks whether the elder sister is the beach of Nagusa in the land of Ki, where she heard there is worth in speaking. Likening the sister who consoled her to Nagusa, whose name echoes "nagusamu," to be consoled, she thanks her for proving it worthwhile to confide.
According to the headnote, when a man who was Assistant Governor of Kii stopped visiting her, she poured out her grief to his elder sister, who replied that it was truly painful, and this was her answer.
The poet is anonymous and the name is not known.

The first line, "Ki no kuni no," means "of the land of Kii," alluding to the man's post as Assistant Governor of Kii.
The second line, "Nagusa no hama wa," means "the beach of Nagusa," a place in Kii whose name echoes "nagusamu," to be consoled.
The third line, "kimi nare ya," means "might it be you," with the interrogative binding particle "ya."
The fourth line, "koto no iukai," is a pivot word on "kai," both worth and shell: worth in speaking, and shells on the beach.
The last line, "ari to kikitsuru," means "is there, I heard," closing the "ya" of the third line with the attributive "tsuru."
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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