Asagōri tokuru ma mo naki kimi ni yori nado te sohotsuru tamoto naruran - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

朝氷とくる間もなき君により
などてそほつる袂なるらん

Roma-ji: Asagōri tokuru ma mo naki kimi ni yori nado te sohotsuru tamoto naruran
English Translation: Like the morning ice
that never has time to thaw,
you never open;
why then should my sleeves be soaked,
all because of one like you?
Meaning: Because of you, who never thaw, like morning ice that has no time to melt, why should my sleeves be so drenched?
Commentary: Book Twelve Love Poems II 729

Headnote: "Sent to a woman"
The poem asks why the poet's sleeves are so drenched because of a woman who never opens her heart, like morning ice that has no time to melt. The headnote shows it was sent to a woman. Pivoting "tokuru" on ice "melting" and a heart "opening," it points out the contradiction that the ice does not melt yet the sleeves are wet with tears, expressing reproach toward an unresponsive beloved. Following the freezing tears of 727 and the white snow of 728, it entrusts love to winter imagery.
The author, written as "Yoshinobu," is Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu. He served as chief priest of the Ise Shrine and, as one of the Five Men of the Pear Chamber, took part in compiling the Gosenshū. He is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.

First line, "asagōri," means "morning ice."
Second line, "tokuru ma mo naki," is a pivot word: "tokuru" means ice "melting" and a heart "opening." It uses the same device as the fourth line of 727 in this book, "kokoro toketaru."
Third line, "kimi ni yori," means "because of you."
Fourth line, "nado te sohotsuru," means "why are they drenched," with "sohotsu" meaning to be soaked through. It questions the contradiction that the sleeves are wet though the ice does not melt. It is the same word as in the final line of 761 in this book, "mazu sohotsuramu."
Final line, "tamoto naruran," means "my sleeves, I wonder," with "ran" an auxiliary conjecturing a cause.
Author: Onakatomi no Yoshinobu
Source: Shui Wakashu
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