Hexagram 43, Guài (Breakthrough): Line 4

夬卦九四 · 泽天夬 · 中文版

九四:臀无肤,其行次且。牵羊悔亡,闻言不信。

The line (Legge)

The fourth NINE, undivided, shows one from whose buttocks the skin has been stripped, and who walks slowly and with difficulty. (If he could act) like. a sheep led (after its companions), occasion for repentance would disappear. But though he hear these words, he will not believe them.

Small Image commentary

'He walks slowly and with difficulty:' - he is not in the place appropriate to him. 'He hears these words, but does not believe them:' - he hears, but does not understand.

象曰:其行次且,位不当也。闻言不信,聪不明也。

In plain words

Thighs without skin, walking with difficulty. If one let oneself be led like a sheep, regret would vanish, but one hears these words and does not believe them. The fourth line is yang in a yin place, unable to advance and unwilling to retreat; it would do well to follow the others, but will not listen. The Small Image says the difficult walking comes from an improper position, and not believing comes from not hearing clearly.

Applying it to your situation

If you are stuck and restless, unable to go forward or back, this line suggests listening to others' advice. What advice have you been unwilling to believe?

Position

A solid (yang) line in the fourth place, which is a yin (even) place, so it is not in its proper place. Its partner is line 1; both are yang, so they do not respond.

If this line moves

With this line moving alone, Guài changes into Hexagram 5 Xū (Waiting). The Jiaoshi Yilin verse for this change (Chinese): 焦氏易林·夬之需.

The hexagram

Hexagram 43 Guài (Breakthrough). The Judgment: Guai requires (in him who would fulfil its meaning) the exhibition (of the culprit's guilt) in the royal court, and a sincere and earnest appeal (for sympathy and support), with a consciousness of the peril (involved in cutting off the criminal). He should (also) make announcement in his own city, and show that it will not be well to have recourse at once to arms. (In this way) there will be advantage in whatever he shall go forward to.

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English text: James Legge, The Yi King (Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882), public domain, as transcribed by the Chinese Text Project. Chinese: the received text. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction. Plain-English readings and position notes by this site.

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