Naku koe wa amata suredomo uguisu ni masaru tori no wa naku koso arikere - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

鳴く声はあまたすれども鶯に
まさるとりのはなくこそありけれ

Roma-ji: Naku koe wa amata suredomo uguisu ni masaru tori no wa naku koso arikere
English Translation: Though many voices
of singing birds are heard,
above the warbler
there is no other bird at all
that excels it in its song.
Meaning: Many birds' voices may be heard, but there is no bird that surpasses the warbler.
Commentary: Book Seven Names of Things 357

Headnote: "Sarutori no hana (greenbrier flower)"
The poet praises the warbler's song, saying that though many birds may be heard singing, none surpasses the warbler. In the run of sounds "masaru tori no wa na" from the fourth to the final line, the name "sarutori no hana" given in the headnote is hidden. The headnote names the thing hidden in the poem.
The author, written as Fujiwara no Sukemi in kana, is Fujiwara no Sukemi. A son of Fujiwara no Hirotsune, he was a mid-Heian poet known as Tōroku. He excelled at poems hiding the names of things, and his personal collection is the Tōrokushū.

First line, "naku koe wa," means "the voices of singing birds."
Second line, "amata suredomo," means "though there are many," with "domo" a concessive particle.
Third line, "uguisu ni," means "compared with the warbler." After the nest-building warbler of 354 at the head of the book, the warbler is sung of again.
Fourth line, "masaru tori no wa," means "a bird that surpasses it." Together with "na" at the start of the final line, it hides the name "sarutori no hana."
Final line, "naku koso arikere," means "there is none," with "koso" resolved by the perfective "kere."
Author: Fujiwara no Sukemi
Source: Shui Wakashu
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