Watatsumi no nami ni mo nurenu Ukishima no matsu ni kokoro o yosete tanoman - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

わたつみの波にも濡れぬ浮島の
松に心を寄せて頼まん

Roma-ji: Watatsumi no nami ni mo nurenu Ukishima no matsu ni kokoro o yosete tanoman
English Translation: On the floating isle
that the waves of the great sea
never wet at all,
to its pines I give my heart,
and there I place my trust.
Meaning: To the pines of the Floating Isle, which the waves of the great sea never wet, I will turn my heart and place my trust in them.
Commentary: Book Eight Miscellaneous Poems I 458

Headnote: "Sending offering cloths to someone setting out on a journey, with the shape of Ukishima pressed on the clothes box"
The poet says he will turn his heart to the pines of the Floating Isle, which the waves of the great sea never wet, and place his trust in them. The headnote shows it accompanied a parting gift of offering cloths sent to someone setting out on a journey, with the shape of Ukishima pressed on the clothes box. He entrusts his prayer for a safe journey to the pines of an isle that floats on the waves yet is never wet. With the sea-related words "nami" and "yose," he joins the seaside scene of the Floating Isle with his care for the traveler. Continuing the pines of the two preceding poems, poems the author sent to departing travelers also appear in 460 and 485 of this book.
The author, written as Yoshinobu, is Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu. A son of Ōnakatomi no Yorimoto, he served as chief priest of the Ise Shrine. He was one of the Five Men of the Pear Chamber and is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.

First line, "watatsumi no," means "of the great sea."
Second line, "nami ni mo nurenu," means "not wet even by the waves," the conceit being that the isle floats on the waves and so is never wet.
Third line, "Ukishima no," means "of the Floating Isle," a poetic place said to be an island in the bay of Shiogama in Michinoku.
Fourth line, "matsu ni kokoro o," means "to the pines my heart," setting pines that the waves do not wet against the pines steeped in the sea of the preceding poem, 457.
Final line, "yosete tanoman," means "I will draw near and trust," with "yose," to draw near, an associated word for waves and "n" an auxiliary of intention.
Author: Onakatomi no Yoshinobu
Source: Shui Wakashu
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