夬 Guài Breakthrough (Resolution) [hexagram 43]
Lake over Heaven
Metal element
Lunar month: 3 ; Host or Controlling line : 5
夬: 扬于王庭, 孚号, 有厉, 告自邑, 不利即戎, 利有攸往. Guài: yáng yú wáng tíng, fú hào, yǒu lì, gào zì yì, bù lì jí róng, lì yǒu yōu wǎng.
Guai requires (in him who would fulfill 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.
彖传: 夬, 决也, 刚决柔也. 健而说, 决而和, 扬于王庭, 柔乘五刚也. 孚号有厉, 其危乃光也. 告自邑, 不利即戎, 所尚乃穷也. 利有攸往, 刚长乃终也. Tuàn zhuàn: Guài, jué yě, gāng jué róu yě. Jiàn ér shuō, jué ér hé, yáng yú wáng tíng, róu chéng wǔ gāng yě. Fú hào yǒu lì, qí wēi nǎi guāng yě. Gào zì yì, bù lì jí róng, suǒ shàng nǎi qióng yě. Lì yǒu yōu wǎng, gāng cháng nǎi zhōng yě.Guai is the symbol of displacing or removing. We see (in the figure) the strong (lines) displacing the weak. (We have in it the attributes of) strength and complacency. There is displacement, but harmony (continues). ‘The exhibition (of the criminal’s guilt) in the royal courtyard‘ is suggested by the (one) weak (line) mounted on the five strong lines. There ’is an earnest and sincere appeal (for sympathy and support), and a consciousness of the peril (involved in the undertaking):‘ - it is the realization of this danger, which makes the method (of compassing the object) brilliant. ’He should make an announcement in his own city, and show that it will not be well to have recourse at once to arms:‘ - (if he have recourse to arms), what he prefers will (soon) be exhausted. ’There will be advantage in whatever he shall go forward to:‘ - when the growth of the strong (lines) has been completed, there will be an end (of the displacement).
象传: 泽上于天, 夬; 君子以施禄及下, 居德则忌. Xiàng zhuàn: Zé shàng yú tiān, guài; jūn zǐ yǐ shī lù jí xià, jū dé zé jì.(The trigram representing) heaven and that for the waters of a marsh mounting above it form Guai. The superior man, in accordance with this, bestows emolument on those below him, and dislikes allowing his gifts to accumulate (unused).
初九: 壮于前趾, 往不胜为咎. Chū jiǔ: zhuàng yú qián zhǐ, wǎng bù shèng wèi jiù.
The first ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject in (the pride of) strength advancing with his toes. He goes forward, but will not succeed. There will be ground for blame.
象传: 不胜而往, 咎也. Xiàng zhuàn: Bù shèng ér wǎng, jiù yě.‘Without (being able to) succeed, he goes forward:’ - this is an error.
九二: 惕号, 莫夜有戎, 勿恤. Jiǔ èr: tì hào, mò yè yǒu róng, wù xù.
The second ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject full of apprehension and appealing (for sympathy and help). Late at night hostile measures may be (taken against him), but he need not be anxious about them.
象传: 莫夜有戎, 得中道也. Xiàng zhuàn: Mò yè yǒu róng, dé zhòng dào yě.‘Though hostile measures be taken against him, he need not be anxious:’ - he pursues the course of the due mean.
九三: 壮于頄, 有凶. 君子夬夬, 独行, 遇雨, 若濡, 有愠, 无咎. Jiǔ sān: zhuàng yú qiú, yǒu xiōng. Jūn zǐ guài guài, dú xíng, yù yù, ruò rú, yǒu yùn, wú jiù.The third ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject (about to advance) with strong (and determined) looks. There will be evil. (But) the superior man, bent on cutting off (the criminal), will walk alone and encounter the rain, (till he be hated by his proper associates) as if he were contaminated (by the others). (In the end) there will be no blame against him.
象传: 君子夬夬, 终无咎也. Xiàng zhuàn: Jūn zǐ guài guài, zhōng wú jiù yě.‘The superior man looks bent on cutting off the culprit:’ - there will in the end be no error.
九四: 臀无肤, 其行次且. 牵羊悔亡, 闻言不信. Jiǔ sì: tún wú fū, qí xíng cì qiě. qiān yáng huǐ wáng, wén yán bù xìn.
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.
象传: 其行次且, 位不当也. 闻言不信, 聪不明也. Xiàng zhuàn: Qí xíng cì qiě, wèi bù dàng yě. wén yán bù xìn, cōng bù míng yě.‘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.
九五: 苋陆夬夬, 中行无咎. Jiǔ wǔ: xiàn lù guài guài, zhōng háng wú jiù.
The fifth ‘nine’, undivided, shows (the small men like) a bed of purslain, which ought to be uprooted with the utmost determination. (The subject of the line having such determination), his action, in harmony with his central position, will lead to no error or blame.
象传: 中行无咎, 中未光也. Xiàng zhuàn: Zhōng háng wú jiù, zhōng wèi guāng yě.‘If his action be in harmony with his central position, there will be no error:’ - but his standing in the due mean is not yet clearly displayed.
上六: 无号, 终有凶. Shàng liù: wú hào, zhōng yǒu xiōng.
The sixth ‘six’, divided, shows its subject without any (helpers) on whom to call. His end will be evil.
象传: 无号之凶, 终不可长也. Xiàng zhuàn: Wú hào zhī xiōng, zhōng bù kě cháng yě.‘There is the misery of having none on whom to call:’ - the end will be that he cannot continue any longer.