Amanogawa kozo no watari no utsuroeba asase fumu ma ni yo zo fukenikeru - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

天の川去年の渡りのうつろへば
浅瀬踏む間に夜ぞ更けにける

Roma-ji: Amanogawa kozo no watari no utsuroeba asase fumu ma ni yo zo fukenikeru
English Translation: On the River of Heaven
since last year's crossing place
has shifted and changed,
while I searched the shoals on foot,
the night has grown deep and late.
Meaning: Because last year's crossing place on the River of Heaven has shifted, the night grew late while I waded through the shallows searching for a way across.
Commentary: Book Three Autumn Poems 145

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
Because the crossing place on the River of Heaven has shifted over the year, the night has grown late while the Herdsman searches for shallows to wade across; the poem speaks from his position. In the confusion of one who crosses only once a year, there is a sense of urgency as the time of meeting is whittled away.
The author, written as Kakinomoto no Hitomaro in kana, is Kakinomoto no Hitomaro. A court poet of the Asuka period, he is revered as the sage of poetry and the foremost poet of the Man'yōshū, and he is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.
A similar poem is found among the Tanabata poems in Book Ten of the Man'yōshū.

First line, "amanogawa," is the same first line as the preceding poem, continuing the Tanabata sequence.
Second line, "kozo no watari no," means "of last year's crossing place." Like "tōki watari ni" in the preceding poem, it uses the word "watari" to sing of the once-a-year crossing.
Third line, "utsuroeba," means "since it has shifted," with "ba" marking an established condition.
Fourth line, "asase fumu ma ni," means "while I wade through the shallows." Whereas the preceding poem sang of setting out by boat, this one sings of wading across on foot.
Final line, "yo zo fukenikeru," means "the night has grown late," with "zo" resolved by the attributive "keru." Following "yo no fukeyukeba" in 143 of this book, the late night of Tanabata is sung of again.
Author: Kakinomoto no Hitomaro
Source: Shui Wakashu
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