Umi mo asashi yama mo hodo nashi waga koi o nani ni yosoete kimi ni iwamashi - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

海も浅し山もほどなし我が恋を
何によそへて君に言はまし

Roma-ji: Umi mo asashi yama mo hodo nashi waga koi o nani ni yosoete kimi ni iwamashi
English Translation: The sea is shallow,
the mountains are not so high;
this love of mine,
to what could I compare it
in telling it to you?
Meaning: The sea is shallow, the mountains are not high; to what could I liken my love to tell you of it?
Commentary: Book Eleven Love Poems I 660

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
The poem says that the sea is shallow and the mountains not high enough, so to what could the poet liken his love to tell the beloved of it. Saying that even the sea and mountains, standard figures of depth and height, fall short, it stresses the greatness of love. Taking up "kagiri nakereba" of the preceding poem, 659, it laments that there is no way to put a boundless love into words.

First line, "umi mo asashi," means "the sea is shallow," and the poem breaks after this first line.
Second line, "yama mo hodo nashi," means "the mountains are not high," breaking here too and forming a parallel with the first line.
Third line, "waga koi o," means "this love of mine."
Fourth line, "nani ni yosoete," means "likening it to what," using the same "yosou" as the fourth line of 637, "yosouru hito no."
Final line, "kimi ni iwamashi," means "how should I tell you," with "mashi" expressing hesitant intention.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Shui Wakashu
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