Hyakunin Isshu Oracle

No.67 周防内侍「春の夜の 夢ばかりなる 手枕に かひなく立たむ 名こそ惜しけれ」

春の夜の 夢ばかりなる 手枕に かひなく立たむ 名こそ惜しけれ

周防内侍

an arm for one spring dream — and a name spent on nothing

an arm for one spring dream — and a name spent on nothing

キーワードKeywords

Borrowed ArmSpring DreamPointless RumorWordplayCourt Banter
★★ Miscellaneous

周防内侍Suō no Naishi — No. 67 女房・姫Court Lady

A lady-in-waiting at the palace, known for a witty poem born out of after-hours banter.

はるのよの ゆめばかりなる たまくらに かひなくたたむ なこそをしけれ

Haru no yo no Yume bakari naru Tamakura ni Kainaku tatan Na koso oshikere

現代語訳Modern Japanese

コンセプトConcept

情景The Scene

A joke at court: someone offers an arm as a pillow for a moment. She points out the arithmetic — a spring dream’s worth of contact, and a rumor that will outlive it. The pun does the complaining.

日本の美意識Japanese Aesthetic

Kakekotoba (Layered Word)

A single word holds both “arm” and “to no purpose,” so the wit is inseparable from the grievance. Lightness handled with formal precision reads as confidence, not triviality.