Soko kiyomi nagaruru kawa no sayaka ni mo harauru koto o kami wa kikanan - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

底清み流るる河のさやかにも
はらふることを神は聞かなん

Roma-ji: Soko kiyomi nagaruru kawa no sayaka ni mo harauru koto o kami wa kikanan
English Translation: As the river flows
with its bed so clear and pure,
may the gods as clearly
hear the words that we recite
in this rite of purifying.
Meaning: As clearly as the river that flows over its pure, clean bed, may the gods hear our prayers of purification.
Commentary: Book Two Summer Poems 133

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The poet prays that the gods will hear the words of purification as clearly as the river flows, clear to its very bed. Against the background of the summer purification rite held by the river, the poem overlaps the pure current with a prayer to the gods.

First line, "soko kiyomi," means "since its bed is clear," with "-mi" expressing cause. This poem and the next, 134, stand together as poems on purification.
Second line, "nagaruru kawa no," means "of the flowing river," and together with the first line forms an introduction leading to "sayaka ni" in the third line.
Third line, "sayaka ni mo," means "clearly," applying both to the clear flow of the river and to the gods hearing the prayer.
Fourth line, "harauru koto o," means "our performing of purification," referring to the rite of cleansing away sins and impurities by the river.
Final line, "kami wa kikanan," means "may the gods hear," with "nan" as a particle expressing a wish directed at another.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Shui Wakashu
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