Practise the thinking. Keep the judgement.
春の夜の
Suō no Naishi · 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
Historical kana
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
Original English translation
For an arm-pillow as brief as a spring night’s dream, I would regret a reputation raised to no purpose.
History and context
Suō no Naishi’s Senzaishū headnote describes a court exchange after an offered arm-pillow. The poem answers the invitation with wit while acknowledging the unequal cost of gossip.
Imagery and wordplay
A moment’s comfort is balanced against a lasting name. Dreamlike brevity makes the trade look unwise.
Senzaishū · 千載集雑上961
Japanese text and historical kana follow the linked Wikisource transcription. Classical poems can have variant spellings and wording in different anthologies. The source anthology reference identifies the version represented in this collection, not necessarily its earliest surviving text. English prose translations and reading notes are original interpretations; some wordplay permits more than one reading.