Cast & Chart

Omikuji lot 68 of 100

Spring on the Worn Branch

吉 Kichi, Good fortune

異夢生英傑

前來事可疑

芳菲春日暖

依舊發殘枝

From a strange dream a hero is born;

what has come before is open to doubt.

Fragrant and lush, in the warmth of a spring day,

the old worn branches bloom as before.

What this lot says

A remarkable dream comes first, and with it the birth of an outstanding person. The second line casts doubt on whatever has happened up to now. Then spring warmth arrives with its scents, and branches already damaged come into flower as they did in other years.

The last two lines carry most of the weight of Kichi, Good fortune, the grade printed in the book. Doubt is stated and left standing, and the worn branch flowers regardless.

In a contemporary light, this is about capacity that has survived a doubtful stretch. Something in a life can go on producing long after its owner has stopped trusting it.

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.

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.