Watatsuumi no oki naka ni hi no hanareidete moyu to miyuru wa ama no isari ka - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

わたつ海の沖なかにひのはなれ出でて
燃ゆと見ゆるは海人のいさりか

Roma-ji: Watatsuumi no oki naka ni hi no hanareidete moyu to miyuru wa ama no isari ka
English Translation: Out on the deep sea,
in the offing a fire
breaks away and goes;
what I see burning out there—
is it fishers' fishing flares?
Meaning: That fire which seems to break away and burn out in the midst of the open sea—is it the fishing fire of the fishers?
Commentary: Book Seven Names of Things 358

Headnote: "Kanihi no hana (kanihi flower)"
The poet wonders whether the fire that seems to burn apart, alone in the midst of the open sea, is the fishing fire of the fishers. Within the scene of fire floating on the night sea, the name "kanihi no hana" given in the headnote is hidden in the run of sounds "naka ni hi no hana" from the second to the third line. The headnote names the thing hidden in the poem.
Ise was a woman poet of the early to mid-Heian period and a daughter of Fujiwara no Tsugukage. She served Onshi, consort of Emperor Uda, and became the mother of Nakatsukasa. She is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.

First line, "watatsuumi no," means "of the great sea."
Second line, "oki naka ni hi no," means "a fire in the midst of the offing." With "hana" at the start of the third line, "kanihi no" hides the name "kanihi no hana."
Third line, "hanareidete," means "breaking away," and has six syllables, one more than the norm.
Fourth line, "moyu to miyuru wa," means "what seems to burn."
Final line, "ama no isari ka," means "is it the fishers' fishing fire," with "ka" expressing a question.
Author: Ise
Source: Shui Wakashu
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