MYS VI: 917

A poem by Akahito, Lord Yamabe, composed on an imperial visit to the province of Ki in 724, with tanka.

やすみしし 我ご大君の 常宮と 仕へ奉れる 雜賀野ゆ そがひに見ゆる 沖つ島 淸き渚に 風吹けば 白波騷き 潮干れば 玉藻刈りつつ 神代よりしかぞ貴き 玉津島山

yasumisisi
wago opokimi nö
tökömiya tö
tukapematureru
sapigano yu
sögapi ni miyuru
oki tu sima
kiyoki nagisa ni
kaze fukeba
siranami sawaki
sipo pureba
tamamo karitutu
kamuyo yori
sika zö taputoki
tamatusimayama
All-knowing,
My great lord:
From the eternal palace,
Wherein we serve,
On the field of Sahiga,
Looking back
At the isles far offshore:
Where on the fresh, clean shoreline
With the blowing of the wind,
Breakers roar
And with the ebbing of the tide,
They go cutting jewelled seaweed:
From the age of gods
An awesome,
Jewelled mountain isle.

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