Cast & Chart

Omikuji lot 71 of 100

Pacing Over Unfinished Work

凶 Kyo, Bad fortune

道業未成時

何期兩不冝

事煩心緒亂

翻作意徘徊

When the work of the Way is not yet complete,

who could have expected neither course to suit?

Affairs are many and the heart's threads tangle,

and intent turns to pacing back and forth.

What this lot says

A practice or course of study is still unfinished. Two options present themselves and neither fits. Busy affairs confuse the mind, and all the person's purpose becomes walking to and fro.

No outside disaster appears in this verse, and Kyo, Bad fortune, the grade in the book's printing, sits over a person caught between two poor fits with the work undone. Printings differ on one word, as a note gives another character for intent in line 4.

Moved into the present, the scene is a half-finished training or project with two paths out and no wish for either. Some of what gets called indecision may be fatigue from having too much going on.

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: 大本意作思

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.