Cast & Chart

Omikuji lot 16 of 100

The Stipend Horse Lights Ahead

吉 Kichi, Good fortune

欲政重成望

前途喜亦寧

貴人相助處

禄馬照前程

Wishing to set right and build the hope again,

the way ahead is glad and calm as well.

Where a person of standing lends help,

the stipend horse shines on the road in front.

What this lot says

A person wants to repair and rebuild a hope, and the road forward looks pleasant and quiet. Help arrives from someone of rank. A horse linked with official pay then casts light on the way ahead.

The book prints Kichi, Good fortune, for this verse. Printings differ in wording, since another has words meaning broken and changed where this first line wishes to set right. Either way the verse moves from repair toward a lit road, and the grade fits.

Translated into current life, this is a second attempt with a little outside support behind it. What would rebuilding look like if the hope were allowed to change shape?

A lot is a prompt for reflection. It cannot promise a result, and it is no substitute for medical, legal or financial advice.

The printed text

No differences from the 1684 printing are recorded for this lot.

Marginal note as printed: 百籖和觧欲政作破改

Credits

The verse and grade were read from the two scanned printings named here. The title, translation and reading are our own and modern.

Our own English. The kana commentary printed under each verse in the old books was not read.