| |
|
Original |
Translation |
| The
Image |
|
坤為地 |
The earth's condition is receptive devotion. |
| |
坤上坤下 |
Kūn (The Receptive, Earth) above, Kūn below. |
| The
Hexagram |
|
坤‧元‧亨‧利牝馬之貞‧君子有攸往‧先迷後得主‧利‧西南得朋‧東北喪朋‧安貞吉‧
|
Kūn (represents) what is great and originating, penetrating, advantageous,
correct and having the firmness of a mare. When the
superior man (here intended) has to make
any movement, if he take the initiative, he will
go astray; if he follow, he will find his (proper)
lord. The advantageousness will be seen in his getting
friends in the south-west, and losing friends in
the north-east. If he rest in correctness and firmness,
there will be good fortune.
|
| |
彖曰‧至哉坤元‧萬物資生‧乃順承天‧
坤厚載物‧德合無疆‧含弘光大‧品物咸亨‧
牝馬地類‧行地無疆‧柔順利貞‧君子攸行‧
先迷失道‧後順得常‧西南得朋‧乃與類行‧東北喪朋‧ 乃終有慶‧
安貞之吉‧應地無疆‧ |
Complete is the 'great and originating (capacity)' indicated by Kūn! All
things owe to it their birth;--it receives obediently
the influences of Heaven.
Kūn, in its largeness, supports and contains all things. Its excellent capacity
matches the unlimited power (of Qián). Its comprehension
is wide, and its brightness great. The various things
obtain (by it) their full development.
The mare is a creature of earthly kind. Its (power of) moving on the earth is
without limit; it is mild and docile, advantageous
and firm:--such is the course of the superior man.
'If he take the initiative, he goes astray:'--he misses, that is, his proper
course. 'If he follow,' he is docile, and gets into
his regular (course). 'In the south-west he will get
friends:'--he will be walking with those of his own
class. 'In the north-east he will lose friends:'--but
in the end there will be ground for congratulation.
'The
good fortune arising from resting in firmness' corresponds
to
the unlimited capacity of the earth. |
| |
象曰‧地勢坤‧君子以厚德載物‧
|
The (capacity and sustaining) power of the earth is what is denoted by Kūn.
The superior man, in accordance with this, with his
large virtue supports (men and) things.
|
|
| Line
1 |
1 |
初六‧履霜‧堅冰至‧
|
In the first SIX, divided, (we see its subject) treading on hoarfrost. The
strong ice will come (by and by).
|
| |
象曰‧履霜堅冰‧陰始凝也‧馴致其道‧至堅冰也‧
|
'He is treading on hoarfrost;--the strong ice will come (by and by):'--the cold
(air) has begun to take form. Allow it to go on quietly
according to its nature, and (the hoarfrost) will come
to strong ice. |
| Line
2 |
2 |
六二‧直方大‧不習無不利‧ |
The second SIX, divided, (shows the attribute of) being straight, square,
and great. (Its operation), without repeated efforts,
will be in every respect advantageous. |
| |
象曰‧六二之動‧直以方也‧不習無不利‧地道光也‧
|
The movement indicated by the second SIX, (divided),is 'from the straight (line)
to the square.' '(Its operation), without repeated
effort, in every way advantageous,' shows the brilliant
result of the way of earth. |
| Line
3 |
3 |
六三‧含章可貞‧或從王事‧無成有終
|
The third SIX, divided, (shows its subject) keeping his excellence under restraint,
but firmly maintaining it. If he should have occasion
to engage in the king's service, though he will not
claim the success (for himself), he will bring affairs
to a good issue. |
| |
象曰‧含章可貞‧以時發也‧或從王事‧知光大也‧ |
'He keeps his excellence tinder restraint, but firmly maintains it:'--at the
proper time he will manifest it. 'He may have occasion
to engage in the king's service:--great is the glory
of his wisdom. |
| Line
4 |
4 |
六四‧括囊‧無咎無譽‧
|
The fourth SIX, divided, (shows the symbol of) a sack tied up. There will
be no ground for blame or for praise. |
| |
象曰‧括囊無咎‧慎不害也‧
|
'A sack tied up;--there will be no error:'--this shows how, through carefulness,
no injury will be received. |
| Line
5 |
5 |
六五‧黃裳‧元吉‧
|
The fifth SIX, divided, (shows) the yellow lower garment. There will be great
good fortune. |
| |
象曰‧黃裳元吉‧文在中也‧ |
'The Yellow lower-garment;--there will be great good fortune:'--this follows
from that ornamental (colour's) being in the right
and central place. |
| Line
6 |
6 |
上六‧龍戰于野‧其血玄黃‧ |
The sixth SIX, divided (shows) dragons fighting in the wild. Their blood is
purple and yellow. |
| |
象曰‧龍戰于野‧其道窮也‧ |
'The dragons fight in the wild:--the (onward) course (indicated by Kūn) is
pursued to extremity. |
| All
lines |
|
用六‧利永貞‧ |
(The lines of this hexagram are all weak and divided, as appears from) the
use of the number six. If those (who are thus represented)
be perpetually correct and firm, advantage will arise. |
| |
象曰‧用六永貞‧以大終也‧ |
'(The lines are all weak and divided, as appears from) the use of the number
SIX:--but (those who are thus represented) becoming
perpetually correct and firm, there will thereby be
a great consummation. |
| |
文言曰‧坤‧至柔而動也剛‧至靜而德方‧
|
(What is indicated by) Kūn is most gentle and weak, but, when put in motion,
is
hard and strong; it
is most still, but is able to give every definite
form. |
| |
後得主而有常‧ |
'By following, it obtains its (proper) lord,' and pursues its regular (course). |
| |
含萬物而化光‧ |
It contains all things in itself, and its transforming (power) is glorious. |
| |
坤道其順乎‧承天而時行‧ |
Yes, what docility marks the way of Kūn! It receives the influences of heaven,
and acts at the proper time. |
| |
積善之家‧必有餘慶‧積不善之家‧必有餘殃‧臣弒其君 ‧子弒其父‧非一朝一夕之故‧其所由來者漸矣‧由辯之 不早辯也‧易曰‧履霜堅冰至‧蓋言順也‧ |
The family that accumulates goodness is sure to have superabundant happiness,
and the family that accumulates evil is sure to have
superabundant misery. The murder of a ruler by his
minister, or of his father by a son, is not the result
of the events of one morning or one evening. The
causes of it have gradually accumulated,--through
the absence of early discrimination. The words of
the Yî, 'He treads on the hoar-frost; the strong
ice will come (by and by),' show the natural (issue
and growth of things).
|
| |
直其正也‧方其義也‧君子敬以直內‧義以方外‧敬義立 而德不孤‧直方大‧不習無不利‧則不疑其所行也‧ |
'Straight' indicates the correctness (of the internal principle), and 'square,'
the righteousness (of the external act). The superior
man, (thus represented), by his self-reverence maintains
the inward (correctness), and in righteousness adjusts
his external acts. His reverence and righteousness
being (thus) established, his virtues are not solitary
instances or of a single class. 'Straight, square,
and great, working his operations, without repeated
efforts, in every respect advantageous:'--this shows
how (such a one) has no doubts as to what he does. |
| |
陰雖有美‧含之‧以從王事‧弗敢成也‧地道也‧妻道也 ‧臣道也‧地道無成而代有終也‧ |
Although (the subject of) this divided line has excellent qualities, he (does
not display them, but) keeps them under restraint.
'If he engage with them in the service of the king,
and be successful, he will not claim that success for
himself:'--this is the way of the earth, of a wife,
of a minister. The way of the earth is-'not to claim
the merit of achievement,' but on behalf (of heaven)
to bring things to their proper issue. |
| |
天地變化‧草木蕃‧天地閉‧賢人隱‧易曰‧括囊無咎無 譽‧蓋言謹也‧
|
Through the changes and transformations produced by heaven and earth, plants
and trees grow luxuriantly. If (the reciprocal influence
of) heaven and earth were shut up and restrained, we
should have (a state that might suggest to us) the
case of men of virtue and ability lying in obscurity.
The words of the Yî, 'A sack tied up:--there will be
no ground for blame or for praise,' are in reality
a lesson of caution. |
| |
君子黃中通理‧正位居體‧美在其中‧而暢於四支‧發於 事業‧美之至也‧ |
The superior man (emblemed here) by the yellow' and correct (colour), is possessed
of comprehension and discrimination. He occupies the
correct position (of supremacy), but (that emblem)
is on (the lower part of) his person. His excellence
is in the centre (of his being), but it diffuses a
complacency over his four limbs, and is manifested
in his (conduct of) affairs:--this is the perfection
of excellence. |
| |
陰疑於陽必戰‧為其嫌於無陽也‧故稱龍焉‧猶未離其類 也‧故稱血焉‧夫玄黃者‧天地之雜也‧天玄而地黃‧ |
(The subject of) the yin (or divided line) thinking himself equal to the (subject
of the) yang, or undivided line, there is sure to be
'a contest.' As if indignant at there being no acknowledgment
of the (superiority of the subject of the) yang line,
(the text) uses the term 'dragons.' But still the (subject
of neither line) can leave his class, and hence we
have 'the blood' mentioned. The mention of that as
being (both) 'azure and yellow' indicates the mixture
of heaven and earth. Heaven's (colour) is azure and
earth's is yellow. |
