Ono no e no kuchimu mo shirazu kimi ga yo no tsukimu kagiri wa uchikokoromiyo - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

斧の柄の朽ちむも知らず君が世の
尽きむ限りはうち試みよ

Roma-ji: Ono no e no kuchimu mo shirazu kimi ga yo no tsukimu kagiri wa uchikokoromiyo
English Translation: Heedless though the haft
of the axe should rot away,
for as long as lasts
your reign, until its end,
play on and test your skill
Meaning: Heedless even if your axe handle should rot away, play on at go and try your hand for as long as your reign endures.
Commentary: Book Twenty Congratulatory Poems 1383

Headnote: "On the lid of a go-stone bowl, when a go board was brought out from the Princess's quarters in the courtiers' hall of the Retired Emperor."
The poet bids the recipient play and test their skill for as long as their reign endures, heedless though the axe handle rot. Drawing on the tale of an axe handle rotting while its owner watched a game of go, she wishes that the recipient may enjoy the game through a reign without end.
According to the headnote, when a go board was brought out from the Princess's quarters in the courtiers' hall of the Retired Emperor's palace, she wrote this on the lid of the go-stone bowl. In the tale of the axe handle, Wang Zhi of Jin watched boys playing go in the mountains until his axe handle rotted, and on returning home found that long ages had passed.
The poet is given as Isagiyokiko, a lady who served at court with the title Myōbu; little is known of her life.

The first line, "Ono no e no," means "the haft of the axe," drawing on the tale associated with go.
The second line, "kuchimu mo shirazu," means "heedless that it rots," absorbed in the game and forgetting time.
The third line, "kimi ga yo no," means "of your reign."
The fourth line, "tsukimu kagiri wa," means "until it comes to its end," blessing a reign without limit.
The last line, "uchikokoromiyo," is a pivot word on "uchi," both playing go and the prefix "uchi": play and try your hand. It ends in the imperative.
Author: Isagiyokiko, Lady of the Fifth Rank
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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