Constancy (is) inauspicious 7.5

[candid]

Brad, if you would be so kind, would you expand of your translation/meaning of 7.5? I?m specifically interested in the last line ?Constancy (is) inauspicious? and ?A commission would not be appropriate?.

Also, why are there two versions per line in your translation?

07.5, 6 5th
The hunt takes captives
Worthwhile to contain the talk
Avoid error
The elder son captains the militia
The younger son transports fatalities
Constancy (is) inauspicious

07.5x
The elder son captains the militia:
According to tempered action
* The younger son transports fatalities:
A commission would not be appropriate

Thanks

[bradford_h]

Hi Candid-

The first version translates the Zhouyi. The second is the Xiao Xiang or Lesser Image,from the third and fourth wings. This usually quotes part of the Zhouyi text and then says something about that part. This Xiao Xiang text quotes two portions.

Constancy is normally an auspicious thing, a good value to have. But, as they say: "War is the Dao of abnormality". The last thing you want to be is constant or predictable. You want to trick your opponent into losing the battles. Leaders of the militia learn this with age and experience. The bag of tricks of the young ones isn't as full. They are more likely to make textbook responses.

[candid]

Thanks, Brad. I see. I think. hmmm

I wasn't thinking in context of war in 7, but in gathering strength or understanding of a situation, a decision. So then:

a) Letting the elder son lead and having the young carry corpses is good stradegy.

because..

b) The young one obeys orders (what he thinks he's supposed to do) but the elder bases his decision more upon his own experience.

Sound right?

[bradford_h]

Hi Candid-
You a) could be taken two ways. Either the young son is relegated/delegated to carting the corpses or else his leadership would lead the militia into a disaster and they wind up filling their wagons with their own casualties. My experience with the Yi authors leads me to think that they may have intended this much ambiguity,

On b) the young one does what's expected of him. As we saw in 07.1, order understood within the unit is necessary. But he is just as likely to do what the enemy expects him to do. That's not good.

When the game is afoot in the field we play our cards close to the vest. Curb the talk. Loose lips sink ships. We do sly things and don't tip our hand or position. This comes from experience. The young one shouts out: Let's kill em and eat em.
The elder son captures and breeds them.

[candid]

Brad,

Interesting look at it. I understand and will have to think how this applies specifically.

Thanks very much.

[candid]

Brad,

Just want you to know that "Constancy (is) inauspicious" did come together for me as it related to my question to Yi.

muchas gracias

[bradford_h]

Candid-
Well mebbe it's time to assume your Officer's Commission in the Ichingeroo Milita.

[candid]

YaaHooo!! Where's mah sword?

Actually though it really was a good exercise. Never really had a problem with 7.5 in general, but this one threw me. I wound up seeing "Constancy (is) inauspicious" as being sort of status quo. Never earn a Commission that way. No guts, no glory, as they say. But also keeping my head. (literally)