Nami fusuru take no tomari no suzumegai ureshiki yo ni mo ainikeru kana

波伏する竹の泊りの雀貝
嬉しきよにも逢ひにけるかな

Roma-ji: Nami fusuru take no tomari no suzumegai ureshiki yo ni mo ainikeru kana
English Translation: The sparrow shells found
at the Bamboo Anchorage
where the waves lie low—
how glad they are to have met
with such a joyous reign.
Meaning: The sparrow shells of the Bamboo Anchorage, where the waves lie low, have met with a joyous age indeed.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1195

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "When a shell contest was to be held at the palace, composed on someone's behalf"
The sparrow shells of the Bamboo Anchorage, where the waves lie low, have been chosen for the contest and so have met with a joyous reign, the poet says.
The familiar pairing of bamboo and sparrows is made from the place name "Take no Tomari," Bamboo Anchorage, and the shell's name "suzumegai," sparrow shell, with yo pivoting on "reign" and the bamboo's internode. As sparrows lodge in bamboo, so the sparrow shells have met a fine reign, celebrating both the occasion and the prosperity of the age.

First line, “nami fusuru”: where the waves come and lie low.
Second line, “take no tomari no”: Take no Tomari seems a place name on the shore, making the pairing with sparrows.
Third line, “suzumegai”: the name of a shell, forming the bamboo-and-sparrow link.
Fourth line, “ureshiki yo ni mo”: yo pivots on "reign" and the bamboo's internode.
Fifth line, “ainikeru kana”: nikeru kana marks completion and exclamation, "how they have met with it."
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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