tanome nao kawase no isago toshi furite magō no ishi to naran yo made ni
Ever believe in me! Until The sand grains in the river rapids Grow old with passing years, and Over the ages their grandstones do Come into this world!
In the Tenryaku period, when the Ichijō Regent [Fujiwara no Koretada] was Head Chamberlain, His Majesty lost his belt to him while playing go. The games continued, and Koretada’s losses mounted, so His Majesty composed this poem to ask for the return of his belt.
白浪の打ちやかへすと待つほどに浜の真砂の数ぞ積もれる
siranami no
uti ya kaFesu to
matu Fodo ni
Fama no masago no
kazu zo tumoreru
Wondering when the whitecaps
Will return, and
While waiting
The grains of sand upon the beach
Increase in number!