Hexagram 61: Zhōng Fú (Inner Truth)
风泽中孚 · 第 61 卦 · Wind over Lake · 中文版
The Judgment
Zhong Fu (moves even) pigs and fish, and leads to good fortune. There will be advantage in crossing the great stream. There will be advantage in being firm and correct.
中孚：豚鱼吉，利涉大川，利贞。
Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)
In Zhong Fu we have the (two) weak lines in the innermost part (of the figure), and strong lines occupying the central places (in the trigrams). (We have the attributes) of pleased satisfaction and flexible penetration. Sincerity (thus symbolled) will transform a country. 'Pigs and fish (are moved), and there will be good fortune:' - sincerity reaches to (and affects even) pigs and fishes. 'There will be advantage in crossing the great stream:' - (we see in the figure) one riding on (the emblem of) wood, which forms an empty boat. In (the exercise of the virtue denoted by) Zhong Fu, (it is said that) 'there will be advantage in being firm and correct:' - in that virtue indeed we have the response (of man) to Heaven.
彖曰：中孚，柔在内而刚得中。说而巽，孚乃化邦也。豚鱼吉，信及豚鱼也。利涉大川，乘木舟虚也。中孚以利贞，乃应乎天也。
The Great Image
(The trigram representing the waters of) a marsh and that for wind above it form Zhong Fu. The superior man, in accordance with this, deliberates about cases of litigation and delays (the infliction of) death.
象曰：泽上有风，中孚；君子以议狱缓死。
The six lines
Line 1 (first): I. The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject resting (in himself). There will be good fortune. If he sought to any other, he would not find rest.
'The first NINE, (undivided), shows its subject resting (in himself). There will be good fortune:' - no change has yet come over his purpose.
初九：虞吉，有它不燕。 象曰：初九虞吉，志未变也。 · 单爻页
Line 2 (second): The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject (like) the crane crying out in her hidden retirement, and her young ones responding to her. (It is as if it were said), 'I have a cup of good spirits,' (and the response were), 'I will partake of it with you.'
'Her young ones respond to her:' - from the (common) wish of the inmost heart.
九二：鸣鹤在阴，其子和之，我有好爵，吾与尔靡之。 象曰：其子和之，中心愿也。 · 单爻页
Line 3 (third): The third SIX, divided, shows its subject having met with his mate. Now he beats his drum, and now he leaves off. Now he weeps, and now he sings.
'Now he beats his drum, and now he leaves off:' - the position (of the line) is the appropriate one for it.
六三：得敌，或鼓或罢，或泣或歌。 象曰：或鼓或罢，位不当也。 · 单爻页
Line 4 (fourth): The fourth SIX, divided, shows its subject (like) the moon nearly full, and (like) a horse (in a chariot) whose fellow disappears. There will be no error.
'A horse the fellow of which disappears:' - he breaks from his (former) companions, and mounts upwards.
六四：月几望，马匹亡，无咎。 象曰：马匹亡，绝类上也。 · 单爻页
Line 5 (fifth): The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject perfectly sincere, and linking (others) to him in closest union. There will be no error.
'He is perfectly sincere, and links others to him in closest union:' - the place (of the line) is the correct and appropriate one.
九五：有孚挛如，无咎。 象曰：有孚挛如，位正当也。 · 单爻页
Line 6 (sixth (top)): The topmost NINE, undivided, shows its subject in chanticleer (trying to) mount to heaven. Even with firm correctness there will be evil.
'Chanticleer (tries to) mount to heaven:' - but how can (such an effort) continue long?
上九：翰音登于天，贞凶。 象曰：翰音登于天，何可长也。 · 单爻页
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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, checked against ctext.org. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction.