Momoshiki ni chitose no koto wa ōkaredo kyō no kimi wa ta mezurashiki kana - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

百敷に千歳の事は多かれど
今日の君はた珍しきかな

Roma-ji: Momoshiki ni chitose no koto wa ōkaredo kyō no kimi wa ta mezurashiki kana
English Translation: In the hundred-walled palace
many are the thousand-year
celebrations held,
yet you, on this day, my lord,
are a wonder rare indeed.
Meaning: In the palace there are many celebrations of a thousand years, yet you, on this day, are rare and wonderful above all.
Commentary: Book Eighteen Miscellaneous Congratulatory Poems 1171

Headnote: "In the Tenryaku era, when Prince Tamehira held his trouser-donning ceremony in the palace"
The poet says that though the palace has many celebrations of a thousand years, the young lord on this day is wonderful above all. The headnote shows it was composed when Prince Tamehira held his trouser-donning ceremony in the palace during the Tenryaku era of Emperor Murakami. Even in a palace full of rites celebrating a thousand years, it praises the young prince's appearance on this day as especially rare and splendid. Following the trouser-donning of Retired Emperor Reizei's princes in 1165 in this book, it celebrates a prince's trouser-donning. Prince Tamehira was a son of Emperor Murakami.
The author, written as "Consultant Yoshifuru," is Ono no Yoshifuru. A grandson of Ono no Takamura, he took part in suppressing Fujiwara no Sumitomo in the Tengyō Disturbance and rose to the rank of Consultant.

First line, "momoshiki ni," means "in the palace," with "momoshiki" a word for the imperial palace.
Second line, "chitose no koto wa," means "celebrations of a thousand years," speaking of the rites of long life and prosperity held in the palace.
Third line, "ōkaredo," means "though they are many," with "do" a concessive particle.
Fourth line, "kyō no kimi wa ta," means "you, on this day, indeed," with "hata" meaning "also" or "after all." It points to Prince Tamehira at his trouser-donning.
Final line, "mezurashiki kana," means "how wonderful," with "mezurashi" meaning fresh and worthy of praise and "kana" exclamatory.
Author: Ono no Yoshifuru
Source: Shui Wakashu
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