Table Of Contents
The Judgement | Comments: Ancient | Me
The Image | Comments: Ancient | Me
Line 1 | Comments: Ancient | Me
Line 2 | Comments: Ancient | Me
Line 3 | Comments: Ancient | Me
Line 4 | Comments: Ancient | Me
Line 5 | Comments: Ancient | Me
Line 6 | Comments: Ancient | Me <br /> <br />
The Judgement
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 未 濟 | Not yet crossing the river |
| 亨 | prosperous |
| 小 狐 汔 濟 | a small fox about to cross the river |
| 濡 其 尾 | wetting its tail |
| 無 攸 利 | lacking sufficient desire |
| <br /> |
Ancient Commentary on the Judgement
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 彖 曰 | Tuàn says |
| 未 濟 | Not yet crossing the river |
| 亨 | prosperous |
| 柔 得 中 也 | the yeilding is correct, centered. |
| 小 狐 汔 濟 | a small fox about to cross the river |
| 未 出 中 也 | not yet reached center |
| 濡 其 尾 | dipping its toe |
| 無 攸 利 | lacks sufficient desire |
| ~ | ~ |
| 不 續 終 也 | not continuing to the end. |
| 雖 不 當 位 | although not the ideal positions |
| 剛 柔 應 也 | firm and yeilding harmonize. |
| <br /> |
My Comments on the Judgement
This is the moment where little foxes (or lesser men) abandon the desire to cross at all, its the boundary set for the faint of heart, the partially dedicated, and the uninspired.
There are 3 choices available.
- Abandon the quest (be a small fox)
- Jump in and rely on sheer determination (be a wreckless fool)
- observe the situation, prepare yourself, and then continue (wise, and confident)
The virtue in this gua is to contain the water/danger and let the fire (intellect) illumiate a path to success, and then decide once you understand the risks and rewards.
"although not the ideal positions, firm and yeilding harmonize." seems to be in reference to how the yao are arranged for this Gua. (yao = line, gua = hexagram). They alternate such that above the yin are yang, and below the yang is yin. They alternate in "accurate" ways.
However, they are not in thier ideal positions. Ideally, odd yao are yang, and even are yin. These are all perfectly backwards. (#63 is the "flawless" yao layout)
I see what he's talking about there, but I don't see how its relevant at all to the situation. <br /> <br />
The Image
☲ Fire
☵ Water
<br />
<br />
Ancient Commentary on the Image
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 火 在 水 上 未濟 | Fire above, water within ... Not yet crossing the river |
| 君 子 以 慎 辨 物 居 方 | noble-ones, therefore, cautiously pausing to evaluate the integrity of things |
| <br /> |
My Comments on the Image
Fire above, water inside. OR Fire dominant, water contained. The fire (illuminating thought) is the real action here, the danger of the river is not ruling the situation.
The current moment is one about preparing to cross. Its is a chance for the potential crosser to use his (or her) mind while the danger is still contained and the possible strategies are available to be discovered.
This is the time for planning, plotting, decision making before the heat of the moment. This may be the last such opportunity before decisions will have to be made with limited options, and where turning back is no longer as easy as just deciding not to cross the river at all. <br /> <br />
Line 1
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 初 六 | 6 at the bottom |
| 濡 其 尾 | dipping its toe |
| 吝 | withdraws |
| <br /> |
Ancient Commentary on Line 1
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 象 曰 | image says |
| 濡 其 尾 | dipping its toe |
| 亦 不 知 極 也 | also, not understanding the destination. |
| <br /> |
My Comments on Line 1:
The small fox (or lesser man) dips his toe in the river And has second thoughts (withdraws his intentions to cross)
The river is his boundary, and he is ruled by fear not conviction but, perhaps more significantly, he just doesn't understand the value of making it across the river. <br /> <br />
Line 2
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 九 二 | 9 at the second |
| 曳 其 輪 | pulling one's wheels |
| 貞 吉 | virtue, good fortune |
| <br /> |
Ancient Commentary on Line 2
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 象 曰 | image says |
| 九 二 貞 吉 | 9 at the second, virtue, good fortune |
| 中 以 行 正 也 | centered, therefore moving correctly. |
| <br /> |
My Comments on Line 2
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Line 3
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 六 三 | 6 at the third |
| 未 濟 | Not yet crossing the river |
| 征 凶 | Advancements unwise |
| 利 涉 大 川 | Beneficial to wade into the great river |
| <br /> |
Ancient Commentary on Line 3
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 象 曰 | image says |
| 未 濟 征 凶 | Not yet crossing the river, advancments unwise |
| 位 不 當 也 | Position is not ideal. |
| <br /> |
My Comments on Line 3
This one seems to say .. its unwise to enter the water just yet. But there's still value in crossing he river.
Perhaps... its still time to prepare, or there's something important you ought to notice before advancement can be done without issues. <br /> <br />
Line 4
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 九 四 | 9 at the fourth |
| 貞 吉 | virtue, good fortune |
| 悔 亡 | regrets die |
| 震 用 伐 鬼 方 | Thunderous-quake dispels the unseen evil |
| 三 年 有 賞 | three years having a reward |
| 于 大 國 | taking a great nation |
| <br /> |
Ancient Commentary on Line 4
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 象 曰 | image says |
| 貞 吉 悔 亡 | virtue, good fortune, regrets die |
| 志 行 也 | determined to go. |
| <br /> |
My Comments on Line 4
From what I have pieced together, crossing the great river is what you have to do before you can dethrone the tyrant ruler on the other side.
This seems to be in reference to that.
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Line 5
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 六 五 | 6 at the fifth |
| 貞 吉 | virtous good fortune |
| 無 悔 | lacking regret |
| 君 子 之 光 | noble one's brilliance |
| 有 孚 | having confidence |
| 吉 | good fortune |
| <br /> |
Ancient Commentary on Line 5
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 象 曰 | image says |
| 君 子 之 光 | noble one's brilliance |
| 其 暉 吉 也 | he radiates good fortune |
| <br /> |
My Comments on Line 5
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Line 6
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 上 九 | 9 at the top |
| 有 孚 于 飲 酒 | having confidence to drink wine |
| 無 咎 | not wrong |
| 濡 其 首 | wetting his head |
| 有 孚 失 是 | having confidence fails him |
| <br /> |
Ancient Commentary on Line 6
| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 象 曰 | image says |
| 飲 酒 濡 首 | drinking wine wets heads |
| 亦 不 知 節 也 | also, not aware in the moment |
| <br /> |
My Comments on Line 6
This seems to be saying ... it isn't wrong to have a little party, and eat up the stuff that you wont need, and will only encumber you as you cross the river.
However, don't get drunk and lose your wits, that's not particularly wise.
For most of the Gua, the 5th line is the person doing things in an ideal way. And the 6th is a person who takes "good" a little too far. In this case, confidence. Which is the virtue of this hexagram, but over confidence is not a virtue. <br /> <br />