The I Ching Book of Proverbs

[rosada]

21. Biting Through

Judgement
BITING THROUGH has success.
It is favorable to let justice be administered.

*Let the chips fall where they may.

Image
Thus the kings in former times made firm the laws
Through clearly defined penalties.

* Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

21.1
His feet are fastened in the stocks,
So his toes disappear.
No blame.

*Stop now cause it's a slippery slope.

21.2
Bites through tender meat,
So that his nose disappears.
No blame.

*Spare the rod and spoil the child.

21.3
Bites on old dried meat
And strikes on something poisonous.
Slight humiliation. No blame.

* Let sleeping dogs lie?

21.4
Bites on dried gristly meat.
Receives metal arrows.
It furthers one to be mindful of difficulties
And to be persevering.
Good fortune.

* The beatings will continue
Until attitude improves.

21.5
Bites on dried lean meat.
Receives yellow gold.
Perseveringly aware of danger.
No blame.

*Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.

21.6
His head is fastened in the wooden cangue,
So that his ears disappear.
Misfortune.

*"Some people, if they don't know,
You can't tell'em."
-Yogi Berra

 

[rosada]

22. Grace

Judgement
GRACE has success. In small matters
It is favorable to undertake something.

*Are you feeling lucky?

Image
Thus does the superior man proceed
When clearing up current affairs.
But he dare not decide controversial issues in
this way.

*You can't judge a book by it's cover.

22.1
He lends grace to his toes, leaves the carriage,
and walks.

*Getting down to earth.

22.2
Lends grace to the beard on his chin.

*My candle burns at both ends,
It will not last the night,
But ah! my friends and oh! my foes,
It makes a lovely light.

22.3
Graceful and moist.
Constant perseverance brings good fortune.

*Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.
- Mae West

22.4
Grace or simplicity?
A white horse comes as if on wings.
He is not a robber,
He will woo at the right time.

*"Some day my prince will come."
-Cinderella

22.5
Grace in hills and gardens.
The roll of silk is meager and small.
Humiliation, but in the end good fortune.

*It's not the gift but the thought that counts.

22.6
Simple grace. No blame.

*Be yourself.

* Beauty is truth,
Truth, beauty.
This is all ye know on Earth,
And all ye need to know.
-Keats
---
21. Life is harsh - 22. escape into spirit.

 

[rosada]

23. Splitting Apart

Judgement
SPLITTING APART. It does not further one
To go anywhere.

*You can't ride two horses with one behind.

Image
Thus those above can secure their position
Only by giving generously to those below.

*Flattery will get you everywhere.

23.1
The leg of the bed is split.
Those who persevere are destroyed.
Misfortune.

*

23.2
The bed is split at the edge.
Those who persevere are destroyed.
Misfortune.

*

23.3
He splits with them. No blame.

*You can't save everyone,
so you might as well save yourself.
--Ricky Nelson, "Garden Party"

23.4
The bed is split up to the skin.
Misfortune.

*

23.5
A shoal of fishes. Favor comes through the court
ladies.
Everything acts to further.

*

23.6
The superior man receives a carriage,
The house of the inferior man is split apart.

* "Knowing when to leave may be
the smartest thing anyone can learn."
-Burt Bacharach

*No big loss without some small gain.

 

[charly]

...BITING THROUGH
...
21.4
Bites on dried gristly meat. Receives metal arrows.
It furthers one to be mindful of difficulties And to be persevering.
Good fortune.
_________________________
23.5
A shoal of fishes. Favor comes through the court ladies.
Everything acts to further.
*

Hi, Rosada:

Now that I see together what you have quoted, I believe that 21.4 Biting dry meat and 23.5 Stringed fishes can be both, depending on the circumstances, about the same matter.

Maybe you already imagine what should be the interpretation, I only advance that based in the historical fact of the Gao Mei rite.

I will look for documentation. (To be continued).

Best wishes,

Charly

 

[rosada]

24. Return

Judgement
RETURN. Success.
Going out and coming in without error.
Friends come and go without blame.
To and fro goes the way.
On the seventh day comes return.
It furthers one to have somewhere to go.

*The movie wasn't so hot.
It didn't have much of a plot.
We fell asleep,
We're in trouble deep,
Our reputation is shot.
Wake up, Little Suzie,
It's time to go home.

Image
Thus the kings of antiquity closed the passes
At the time of solstice.
Merchants and strangers did not go about,
And the ruler
Did not travel through the provinces.

*Give it a rest.

24.1
Return from a short distance.
No need for remorse.
Great good fortune.

*Don't even think of taking a drink.

24.2
Quiet return. Good fortune.

*Okay, maybe just one but that's all.

24.3
Repeated return. Danger. No blame.

*It's easy to quit drinking.
I've done it dozens of times.

24.4
Walking in the midst of others.
One returns alone.

* He was the white sheep of the family.
(comment made about a friend who, unlike his siblings, didn't drink)

24.5
Noblehearted return. No remorse.

*Join a 12 step program and make amends.

24.6
Missing the return. Misfortune.
Misfortune from within and without.
If armies are set marching in this way, one will in the end suffer a great defeat,
Disastrous for the ruler of the country,
For ten years
It will not be possible to attack again.

*I love a good martini.
Two at the very most.
Three and I'm under the table.
Four and I'm under the host.
-Dorothy Parker

 

[rosada]

25. Innocence (The Unexpected)

Judgement
INNOCENCE. Supreme success.
Perseverance furthers.
If someone is not as he should be,
He has misfortune,
And it does not further him
To undertake anything.

*Be yourself,
Everyone else is taken.
-Oscar Wilde

Image
All things attain the natural state of innocence.
Thus the kings of old,
Rich in virtue, and in harmony with the times,
Fostered and nourished all beings.

*Everyone is doing the best that they can.

*To everything there is a season
And a time for every purpose under heaven.

25.1
Innocent behavior brings good fortune.

*Beginner's luck.

25.2
If one does not count the harvest while planting,
Nor on the use of the ground while clearing it,
It furthers one to undertake something.

*Do each task for it's own sake.
- Wilhelm

25.3
Undeserved misfortune.
The cow that was tethered by someone
Is the wanderer's gain, the citizen's loss.

*A fool and his money are soon parted.
*Bad things sometimes happen to good people.

25.4
He who can be persevering
Remains without blame.

*High Hopes
Just what makes that silly old ant
Think he'll move that rubber tree plant?
Everyone knows an ant can't
Move a rubber tree plant.

But he's got high hopes!
He's got high hopes!
High up in the sky hopes!

So anytime you're feeling low,
Instead of letting go..
Just remember that ant -
Oops! There goes another rubber tree plant!
-Frank Sinatra

25.5
Use no medicine in an illness
Incurred through no fault of one's own.
It will pass of itself.

*What? Me worry?
-Alfred E. Neuman

*This too shall pass.

25.6
Innocent action brings misfortune.
Nothing furthers.

*If it weren't for bad luck
I'd have no luck at all.

*Those who do not learn from the past
Are doomed to repeat it.
- George Santayana

 

[rosada]

26. The Taming power of The Great

Judgement
THE TAMING POWER OF THE GREAT.
Perseverance furthers.
Not eating at home brings good fortune.
It furthers one to cross the great water.

*The call of the wild.

Image
The superior man acquaints himself with many
sayings of antiquity
And many deeds of the past,
In order to strengthen his character thereby.

*The unexamined life is not worth living.

26.1
Danger is at hand. It furthers one to desist.

*Quit chomping at the bit.

26.2
The axletrees are taken from the wagon.

*Don't cross the bridge before it's been built.

26.3
A good horse that follows others.
Awareness of danger,
With perseverance, furthers.
Practice chariot driving and armed defense daily.
It furthers one to have somewhere to go.

*Practice makes perfect.

26.4
The headboard of a young bull.
Great good fortune.

*Stall for time.

*Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

26.5
The tusk of a gelded boar.
Good fortune.

*Patience disarms danger.
-Leonardo De Vinci

26.6
One attains the way of heaven. Success.

* Everything works out fine in the end.
If it's not fine, it's not the end.

26. seems to describe more experienced souls knowing not to buck the tide. Experience teaches how to wait until obstacles are removed before attempting to move forward.

The Plot (Judgement). A young soul eagerly - perhaps too eagerly - seeks a chance to get out and explore the world.
Having learned there may be problems he is not aware of (25.6), the young soul holds off taking off (26.1). He unpacks and prepares to wait (26.2) until the time is right. Eventually the trouble passes and the soul starts out on his adventure only now he is more alert to possible difficulties yet more focused than ever on his mission (26.3). His patience and preparation have heightened his instincts and the waiting for the right time pays off (26.4). Indeed, distractions and passions that derailed him before no longer grab his attention or take his energy (26.5). He is on the right track and moving ahead! (26.6)
The Moral (Image). Before plunging in, it's best to learn all one can about the subject from those with prior experience.

 

[rosada]

27. The Corners of The Mouth

Judgement
THE CORNERS OF THE MOUTH.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
Pay heed to the providing of nourishment
And to what a man seeks
To fill his own mouth with.

*You are what you eat

Image
The superior man is careful of his words
And temperate in eating and drinking.

*Keep your words sweet
You may have to eat them.

*One minute on the lips
Forever on the hips.

The Lines

27.1
You let your magic tortoise go,
And look at me with the corners of your mouth
drooping.
Misfortune.

*Looking for love in all the wrong places.

27.2
Turning to the summit for nourishment,
Deviating from the path
To seek nourishment from the hill.
Continuing to do this brings misfortune.

*The answers lie within.

27.3
Turning away from nourishment.
Perseverance brings misfortune.
Do not act thus for ten years.
Nothing serves to further.

*You can't fix stupid.

27.4
Turning to the summit
For provision of nourishment
Brings good fortune.
Spying about with sharp eyes
Like a tiger with insatiable craving.
No blame.

*Seek and ye shall fine.

27.5
Turning away from the path.
To remain persevering brings good fortune.
One should not cross the great water.

*

27.6
The source of nourishment.
Awareness of danger brings good fortune.
It furthers one to cross the great water.

*

 

[rosada]

28. The Preponderance of the Great

Judgement
PREPONDERANCE OF THE GREAT.
The flagpole sags to the breaking point.
it furthers one to have somewhere to go.
Success.

*Rats leaving a sinking ship.

IMAGE
Thus the superior man, when he stands alone,
Is unconcerned,
And if he has to renounce the world,
He is undaunted.

*The boy stood on the burning deck..

THE LINES

28.1
To spread white rushes underneath.
No blame.

*Take care.

28.2
A dry poplar sprouts at the root.
an older man takes a young wife.
Everything furthers.

*L'Chaim! - To life!

28.3
The ridgepole sags to the breaking point.
Misfortune.

*Nothing exceeds like excess.

28.4
The ridgepole is braced. Good fortune.
If there are ulterior motives, it is humiliating.

*When you come to the end, stop.
*Don't gild the lily. (Hilary)

28.5
A withered poplar puts forth flowers.
An older woman takes a husband.
No blame. No praise.

*The Golden Years.

28.6
One must go through the water.
It goes over one's head.
Misfortune. No blame.

*In over your head.
*Sink or swim.
*Sometimes the fastest way around
Is through.

28. Appears to be a meditation on excess. Each line seems to describe the ways the energy in these position are going a bit too far.
1. Being excessive at the beginning, perhaps taking more care than necessary? Yet there is "No blame" for such precautions. (Interesting word - pre - cautious, being cautious before caution is even called for)
2. Line 2 seems to represent circumstances in the here and now so the old man may have exceeded the typical life span but keeps on going. Being excessive in celebrating life? No harm in that!
3. The third position typically describes situations where the energies have gone to an extreme so it makes sense that here we have excess creating misfortune.
4. The 4th position gives advice that comes from past experience - like the bottom line of the first trigram describes someone's actions who is totally new to a situation, the bottom line of the second trigram, line 4, describes the advice from someone who has been through the experience before. So what to do when the ridge pole sags or excess has gone too far? Past experience advises don't let the thing collapse, "Brace it!" Perhaps a real life situation having to do with over spending might be someone at line 1 wants to be sure they don't get into credit card debt so they don't even get a credit card, maybe they get a debit card that will only let them spend what they have, no excess. If they don't do this and overspend then the line 4 person advises they shouldn't declare bankruptcy, they should get a loan.
5. At the fifth position the energies have almost run out. If a person wants to be a bit excessive here it's not going to make much difference.
6. The final line position describes situations in general where things have exceeded their natural limits. In this hexagram line 6 says the person has exceeded excess. In line 3 excess was a misfortune that could be remedied but in line 6 there is no brace for the ridgepole, no help for the excess, one has got to just let the energies play out. Perhaps this describes a situation that has gone even longer than usual but now there are no alternatives to change. Like a person who dies of old age, they have to cross the great water, it's sad but that's life, no blame.

 

[rosada]

29. The Abysmal (Water)

Judgement
If you are sincere, you have success in your heart,
and whatever you do succeeds.

*All you need is love.
-The Beatles

Image
The superior man walks in lasting virtue
And carries out the business of teaching.

*Walking your talk.

THE LINES

29.1
In the abyss one falls into a pit.
Misfortune.

*Going off the deep end.

29.2
The abyss is dangerous.
One should strive to attain small things only

*Find the stepping stones through the swamp.

29.3
Forward and backward, abyss on abyss.
In danger like this, pause at first and wait,
Otherwise you will fall into a pit in the abyss.
Do not act in this way.

*When you are in a hole, stop digging. (Hilary)

29.4
A jug of wine, a bowl of rice with it,
Earthen vessels
Simply handed in through the window.
There is certainly no blame in this.

* Easy does it.

29.5
The abyss is not filled to overflowing.
It is filled to the rim.
No blame.

*"Don't buy anymore votes than you have to.
I'll be damned if I'll pay for a landslide."
- Joseph Kennedy's advice to JFK when he ran for president.

29.6
Bound with cords and ropes.
Shut in between thorn-hedged prison walls.
For three years one does not find the way.
Misfortune.

*...caught in the rain in Juarez
and it's Easter time too..
- Tom Thumb Blues, Bob Dylan

*"I could have rescued ten times as many
If only I could have convinced them they were slaves."
-Harriot Tubman, created The Underground Railroad
and led 1,000 slaves to freedom during the Civil War.

Thoughts on 29.
I think it's interesting that one of the scariest hexagrams has such a reassuring image - the superior man carrying on the business of teaching. Perhaps this can be understood by considering the sequence.
25. The young innocent..
26. gets wisdom from hearing the stories of those who have gone before.
27. He in nourished by their insights but..
28. without any personal experience to go with them, the stories just clog his brain.
29. There is a need to get out and experience the world (as in hex 4) but this time the young fool has some stories to guide him. Perhaps now he will use his experience to guide others.

 

[hilary]

29.3: When you're in a hole, stop digging.​

 

[rosada]

30. Fire

Judgement
THE CLINGING. Perseverance furthers.
It brings success.
Care of the cow brings good fortune.

*This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine.

Image
Thus the great man, by perpetuating this brightness,
Illumines the four quarters of the world.

*No man is an island, no man stands alone.
Each man's joy is joy to me.
Each man's grief is my own.
We need one another so I will defend
Each man as my brother, each man as my friend.

30.1
The footprints run crisscross.
If one is seriously intent, no blame.

*Beware of getting lost in the shuffle.

30.2
Yellow light. Supreme good fortune.

*Yesterday is history,
Tomorrow is a mystery,
Today is a gift
So we call it The Present.

* Not too fast, not to slow.
Stay in the middle and away we go!

30.3
In the light of the setting sun,
Men either beat the pot and sing
Or loudly bewail the approach of old age.
Misfortune.

*Burned out.

30.4
Its coming is sudden;
It flames up, dies down, is thrown away.

*Life is short.
Then you die.

*A one hit wonder.

30.5
Tears in floods, sighing and lamenting.
Good fortune.

*Insert your favorite "somebody-done-somebody-wrong" song here.

30.6
The king uses him to march forth and chastise.
Then it is best to kill the leaders
And take captive the followers. No blame.

*The beatings will continue
Until attitude improves.

Thoughts:
29. was about finding solutions to life's problems and finding a helpful guide. 30 seems to be about realizing the problems are never ending so find a guide who is also an equal, a good travel companion.
30.1 The first line describes conditions BEFORE we get into the hexagram so the "footprints running crisscross" means there is confusion before there is Clarity but that by being seriously intent we can make progress with No blame.
30.2 The lines describe a day flowing from pre-dawn to noon to evening. Here it is noon and a lovely day.
In 30.3 At the end of the day what have we got? The approach of death confuses and drives people to do inappropriate things. Perhaps they realize they spent all their life trying to stay on the path and do the right thing, to follow others guidance, and now with the end so near they question if they got to actually experience and enjoy life or were they just following rules? Crying and moaning when they should be caring for "the cow" - taking care to maintain a gentle nature.
30.4 Describes life as being brief - maybe too brief to worry about whether we did it "right". Or recognizing that one day is not enough to evaluate a whole life.
In 30.5 the superior man recognizes that all things change and elevates this harsh truth through song and and understanding of our mutual hardships. It's like he recognizes the same problems of 30.3, that life is over all too soon, but he doesn't let that depress him. He sings about it and raises suffering to an art form. Cares for the cow.
In 30.6 Does life have meaning? Can our experience be of service to others. have we learned what to reject and what to tolerate?
On to the next hexagram where Hexagram 31 describes the beginning of developing empathy.

 

[Tohpol]

Rosada, there's no stopping you. Great stuff!

 

[rosada]

31. Influence (Wooing)

Hexagram 31. Influence (Wooing)
Judgement
Influence. Success.
Perseverance furthers.
To take a maiden to wife brings good fortune.

*If you want to be happy for the rest of your life,
Make an ugly women your wife.

Image
Thus the superior man encourages people to approach him
By his readiness to receive them.

*Be prepared.
- Boy Scout motto

The Lines

31.1
The influence shows itself in the big toe.

*Dip your toe in the water.
(Start something carefully as you don't know how deep you want to get in.)

31.2
The influence shows itself in the calves of the legs.
Misfortune.
Tarrying brings good fortune.

*More haste - less speed (Trogina)

31.3
The influence shows itself in the thighs.
Holds to that which follows it.
To continue is humiliating.

*Chasing your tail.

31.4
Perseverance brings good fortune.
Remorse disappears.
If a man is agitated in mind,
And his thoughts go hither and thither,
Only those friends
On whom he fixes his conscious thoughts
Will follow.

*Thinking out loud.

31.5
The influence shows itself in the back of the neck.
No remorse.

*Silent communication.

31.6
The influence shows itself in the jaws, cheeks, and
tongue.

*Content-free conversation.

 

[Trojina]

31.2 'More haste less speed'

 

[rosada]

32. Duration

Judgement
DURATION. Success. No blame.
Perseverance furthers.
It furthers one to have somewhere to go.

*Neither sleet, nor hail, nor gloom of night,
Shall keep these carriers from the swift completion
Of their appointed rounds.
- Postman's oath.

Image
Thus the superior man stands firm
And does not change his direction

*Your word is your bond.

The Lines

32.1
Seeking duration too hastily brings misfortune
persistently.

*Marry in haste, repent at leisure.

32. 2
Remorse disappears.

*Self control

32.3
He who does not give duration to his character
Meets with disgrace.
Persistent humiliation.

*A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
- James 1:8 (Joseph Murphy)

32.4
No game in the field.

*If the man don't want ya,
Ya can't make him have ya.

32.5
Giving duration to one's character through
perseverance.
This is good fortune for a woman, misfortune for a
man.

*

32.6
Restlessness as an enduring condition brings
misfortune.

*Papa was a rolling stone.
Where ever he hung his hat was his home.
And when he died,
All he left us was alone.

 

[rosada]

33. Retreat

Judgement
RETREAT. Success.
In what is small, perseverance furthers.

*

Image
Thus the superior man keeps the inferior man at a
distance,
Not angrily but with reserve.

*Don't trouble trouble,
Till trouble troubles you.

33.1
At the tail in retreat. This is dangerous.
One must not wish to undertake anything.

*Don't look back,
Something might be gaining on you.
-Satchel Paige

33.2
He holds him fast with yellow oxhide.
No one can tear him loose.

*I can't turn you loose,
If I do I'm gonna lose my life.
- Otis Redding song lyric

33.3
A halted retreat
Is nerve-wracking and dangerous.
To retain people as men and maidservants
Brings good fortune.

*Keep your friends close
and your enemies closer.

33.4
Voluntary retreat brings good fortune to the
superior man
And downfall to the inferior man.

"Hello! I must be going.
I'll stay a week or two,
I'll stay the summer through,
But I am telling you,
I must be going."
- Groucho Marx song lyric

*"Frankly, my Dear,
I just don't give a damn."

- Rett Butler, Gone With The Wind.

33.5
Friendly retreat. Perseverance brings good fortune.

*So long, it's been good to know yuh!"
Woodie Guthrie song

33.6
Cheerful retreat. Everything serves to further.

"Our good times are all gone
And I'm bound for moving on.
I'll look for you if I'm ever back this way."
- Four Strong Winds lyric

*Oh ye'll tak' the high road,
And I'll tak' the low road,
And I'll get to Scotland before ye.
For me and my true love shall never meet again,
On the Bonnie, Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond.

 

[rosada]

34. The Power of The Great

Judgement
THE POWER OF THE GREAT. Perseverance furthers.

*Old Man River,
He just keeps rolling along.

Image
The superior man does not tread upon paths
That do not accord with established order.

*Stay off the grass.

The Lines

34.1
Power in the toes.
Continuing brings misfortune
This is certainly true.

*Fools rush in
Where angels fear to tread.
- Alexander Pope

*Look before you leap.
(Hilary)

34.2
Perseverance brings good fortune.

*The problem now of course is,
To simply hold your horses.
To rush would be a crime.
Cause nice and easy does it every time.
- Frank Sinatra

34.3
The inferior man works through power.
The superior man does not act thus.
To continue is dangerous.
A goat butts against a hedge
And gets its horns entangled.

*Breaking and entering.

34.4
Perseverance brings good fortune.
Remorse disappears.
The hedge opens; there is no entanglement.
Power depends upon the axle of a big cart.

*I want to die peacefully in my sleep
Like my grandfather did.
Not screaming at the top of my lungs
Like the passengers in his car.

34.5
Loses the goat with ease.
No remorse.

*Easy peasy,
Lemon squeezey.
- Cooper (my grandson, age 4)

34.6
A goat butts against a hedge.
It cannot go backward, it cannot go forward.
Nothing serves to further.
If one notes the difficulty, this brings good fortune.

*Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.
-Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

 

[hilary]

34.1
'Look before you leap'
- or should that be 43.1?

 

[rosada]

35. Progress

Judgement
PROGRESS. The powerful prince
Is honored with horses in large numbers.
In a single day he is granted audience three times.

*Nothing succeeds like success!

Image
The superior man himself
Brightens his bright virtue.

*Make hay while the sun shines.

The Lines

35.1
Progressing but turned back.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
If one meets with no confidence, one should remain
calm.
No mistake.

*Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds.
-Einstein

35.2
Progressing but in sorrow.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
Then one obtains great happiness from one's
ancestress.

*Love will find a way.

35.3
All are in accord. Remorse disappears.

*Here Comes The Sun.
- Beatles song.

*Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.
And they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same.
You wanna be where everybody knows your name.
- Cheers theme

35.4
Progress like a hamster.
Perseverance brings danger.

*"Hamsters are a gateway pet."
- New Yorker cartoon of mother refusing to
allow the small animal into the house.

35.5
Remorse disappears.
Take not gain and loss to heart.
Undertakings bring good fortune.
Everything serves to further.

* It's not whether you win or lose,
But how you play the game.

35.6
Making progress with the horns is permissible
Only for the purpose of punishing one's own city.
To be conscious of danger brings good fortune.
No blame.
Perseverance brings humiliation.

*Make love, not war.

 

[rosada]

36. Darkening of the Light

Judgement
DARKENING OF THE LIGHT. In adversity
It furthers one to be persevering.

*Never, never, never, never give up.
- Winston Churchill

Image
Thus does the superior man live with the great mass:
He veils his light, yet still it shines.

*Hidden in plain sight.

The Lines

36.1
Darkening of the light during flight.
He lowers his wings.
The superior man does not eat for three days
On his wanderings.
But he as somewhere to go.
The host has occasion to gossip about him.

*Flying under the radar.

36.2
Darkening of the light injures him in the left thigh.
He gives aid with the strength of a horse.
Good fortune.

*

36.3
Darkening of the light during the hunt in the south.
Their leader is captured.
One must not expect perseverance too soon.

*

36.4
He penetrates the left side of the belly.
One gets at the very heart of the darkening of the light.
And leaves gate and courtyard.

*

36.5
Darkening of the light as with Prince Chi.
Perseverance furthers.

*You don't have to be crazy to work here,
But it helps.

36.6
Not light but darkness.
First he climbed up to heaven,
Then he plunged into the depths of the earth.

*What goes up must come down.

 

[rosada]

37. The Family

Judgement
The perseverance of the woman
furthers.

*"Oh woman, great is thy faith.
Be it unto thee even as thou wilt."
- Jesus

Image
The superior man has substance to his words
And duration to his way of life.

*Don't talk the talk if you can't walk the walk.

37.1
Firm seclusion within the family.
Remorse disappears.

*Home is where the heart is.

37.2
She should not follow her whims.
She must attend within to the food.
Perseverance brings good fortune.

* The hardest thing there is to do
Is the work that's right in front of you.
But do your part, make a start,
Before you know it you'll be through.

37.3
When tempers flare up in a family,
Too great severity brings remorse.
Good fortune nonetheless.
When woman and children dally and laugh,
It leads in the end to humiliation.

*There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children she didn't know what to do.
She gave them some broth, without any bread,
Spanked them all soundly and sent them to bed.

37. 4
She is the treasure of the house.
Great good fortune.

*My wife! My wife!
The joy of my life!
Without her where would I be?
She washes my clothes and darns my hose
And fixes my afternoon tea.

37.5
As a king he approaches his family,
Fear not.
Good fortune.

*Suffer the little children to come unto me,
For their's is the kingdom of heaven.
- Jesus

37.6
His work commands respect.
In the end good fortune comes.

*Like a brahman bull,
He was out standing in his field.

 

[heylise]

Rosada, this is incredible!!!

This is what I wanted with my website, but english is not my mother's language, so I couldn't. Proverbs are not part of english lessons, and not even of the journals and everything I read. Of course here and there you meet one, and usually I understand what is meant, and I can connect it with a line. But the other way around, finding a proberb to go with a line - no way.

I think there are lots of Chinese proverbs (and legends and everyday common sense thingies) in the Yijing, we just don't recognize the wording.

I love what you found, and I admire your perseverance!

 

[heylise]

I think 'a stitch in time saves nine' is quite 45ish....preparing one's weapons in order to be ready for the unforeseen.

Hex.45 is literally “gathering”, the way you gather herbs or soldiers or followers. The character is an image of a jacket with a sign on it: a uniform jacket of a soldier, servant or adherent. This character also means sudden death or accident. At the top 'plants': uniforms like grass. Being gathered in this way is very dangerous and you have to defend yourself, hence the care for weapons. That does not mean the weapons are the primary meaning.

In Dutch there is a saying “a person who is warned counts for two” – there must be a similar one in English.

 

[rosada]

.

 

[rosada]

38. Opposition

Judgement
OPPOSITION. In small matters, good fortune.

*Don't sweat the small stuff -
And it's all small stuff.
*We can agree to disagree.

Image
Amid all fellowship
The superior man retains his individuality.

*Sounds like the definition of an Aquarian.

The Lines

38.1
Remorse disappears.
If you lose your horse, do not run after it;
It will come back of its own accord.
When you see evil people,
Guard yourself against mistakes.

*Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep
And doesn't know where to find them.
Leave them alone and they'll come home,
Wagging their tales behind them.
-Mother Goose

O 38.2
One meets his lord in a narrow street.
No blame.

* Speaking off the record.

38.3
One sees the wagon dragged back,
The oxen halted,
A man's hair and nose cut off.
Not a good beginning, but a good end.

*Having a really bad hair day.

38.4
Isolated through opposition,
One meets a like-minded man
With whom one can associate in good faith.
Despite the danger, no blame.

* The story of the ugly duckling is about a baby mallard duck who was shunned by his brothers and sisters as he did not look like them. One day he was recognized as a swan by another swan and welcomed.

O 38.5
Remorse disappears.
The companion bites his way through the wrappings.
If one goes to him,
How could it be a mistake?

*

38.6
Isolated through opposition,
One sees one's companion as a pig covered in dirt,
As a wagon full of devils.
First one draws a bow against him,
Then one lays the bow aside.
He is not a robber; he will woo at the right time.
As one goes, rain falls, then good fortune comes.

*Making a mountain out of a mole hill.

 

[rosada]

39. Obstruction

Judgement
OBSTRUCTION. The southwest furthers.
The northeast does not further.
It furthers one to see the great man.
Perseverance brings good fortune.

Image
The superior man turns his attention to himself
And molds his character.

*You can't please everyone,
So you might as well please yourself.
-lyric, "Garden Party"

39.1
Going leads to obstructions,
Coming meets with praise.

* Step back.

39.2
The king's servant is beset by obstruction upon
obstruction,
But it is not his own fault.

* Do what you can,
With what you have,
Where you are.

39.3
Going leads to obstructions;
Hence he comes back.

*Risky Business,

39.4
Going leads to obstructions,
Coming leads to union.

*When you reach the end of your rope,
Tie a knot and hang on.

O39.5
In the midst of the greatest obstructions,
Friends come.

*We all need someone to lean on.

39.6
Going leads to obstructions,
Coming leads to great good fortune.
It furthers one to see the great man.

*Don't travel faster than your angels can fly.

 

[rosada]

40. Deliverance

Judgement
DELIVERANCE. The southwest furthers.
If there is no longer anything where one has to go,
Return brings good fortune.
If there is something where one has to go,
Hastening brings good fortune.

Image
The superior man pardons mistakes
And forgives misdeeds.

* "Forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us."
-The Lord's Prayer

The Lines

40.1
Without blame.

*You just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
No need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free.
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don't need to discuss much.
Just drop off the key, Lee,
And get yourself free.
-Paul Simon, 50 Ways to Leave your Lover.

40.2
One kills three foxes in the field
And receives a golden arrow.
Perseverance brings good fortune.

*Catch for us the little foxes,
The little foxes that spoil the vineyards,
Our vineyards that are in bloom.
- Song of Solomon 2:15

40.3
If a man carries a burden on his back
And nonetheless rides in a carriage,
He thereby encourages robbers to draw near.
Perseverance leads to humiliation.

* Get off your high horse.

40.4
Deliver yourself from your big toe,
Then the companion comes,
And him you can trust.

*Out with the old,
In with the new.

40.5
If only the superior man can deliver himself,
It brings good fortune.
Thus he proves to the inferior man that he is in earnest.

* A leopard can't change his spots.


40.6
The prince shoots a hawk on a high wall.
He kills it. Everything serves to further.

*Strike while the iron is hot.

 

[rosada]

41. Decrease

Judgement
DECREASE combined with sincerity
Brings about supreme good fortune
Without blame.
One may be persevering in this.
It furthers one to undertake something.
How is this to be carried out?
One may use two small bowls for the sacrifice.

*Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Image
The superior man controls his anger
And restrains his instincts.

*Don't do to others what you would not have done to you.

The Lines

41.1
Going quickly when one's tasks are finished
Is without blame.
But one must reflect on how much one may decrease others.

*Beware taking advantage of someone's good nature.

41.2
Perseverance furthers.
To undertake something brings misfortune.
Without decreasing oneself,
One is able to bring increase to others.

*Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day.
Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.

41.3
When three people journey together,
Their number decreases by one.
When one man journeys alone,
He finds a companion.

*Two's company.
Three's a crowd.

41.4
If a man decreases his faults,
It makes the other hasten to come and rejoice.
No blame.

*Clean up your act.

O41.5
Someone does indeed increase him.
Ten pairs of tortoises cannot oppose it.
Supreme good fortune.

*What goes around comes around.

41.6
If one is increased without depriving others,
there is no blame.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
It furthers one to undertake something.
One obtains servants
But no longer has a separate home.

*Share and share alike.

----
Additional thoughts after studying this hexagram:

The hexagram Decrease is actually about how to increase one's good fortune.

To begin with, one should give. It needn't be a lot or beyond one's means but it should be done with sincerity with a true feeling of wanting to help.

Don't take advantage of others and don't let others take advantage of you.

Rather, create situations where both parties are equally served. Create a fair trade.

Give support and make yourself the sort of person who will attract support.

Good karma will then flow to you so abundantly you will be able to find sharing partners where ever you go.

The moral of the story is that by controlling one's desires and ambitions to "be first" or to "get ahead" and striving instead to make the world work fairly and harmoniously for everyone, one is acting as a superior man.

 

[rosada]

42. Increase

Judgement
INCREASE. It furthers one
To undertake something.
It furthers one to cross the great water.

*Go for it!

Image
If he sees good, he imitates it;
If he has faults, he rids himself of them.

*I know a good thing when I see it.

O42.1
It furthers one to accomplish great deeds.
Supreme good fortune. No blame.

*The love in your heart was not put there to stay.
Love is not love till you give it away.
-Oscar Hammerstein

42.2
Someone does indeed increase him,
Ten pairs of tortoises cannot oppose it.
Constant perseverance brings good fortune.
The king presents him before God.
Good fortune.

*Note similarity to 41.5

42.3
One is enriched through unfortunate events.
No blame if you are sincere
And walk in the middle,
And report with a seal to the prince.

*Making the best of things.

42.4
If you walk in the middle
And report to the prince,
He will follow.
It furthers one to be used
In the removal of the capital.

*

42.5
If in truth you have a kind heart, ask not.
Supreme good fortune.
Truly, kindness will be recognized as your virtue.

*Ask not what your country can do for you.
Ask what you can do for your country.

42.6
He brings increase to no one.
Indeed someone even strikes him.
He does not keep his heart constantly steady.
Misfortune.

*Too little, too late.
*You can't fool Mother Nature.