Hexagram 30 of 64

Lí — Fire Upon Fire

离为火 · Legge: Li · Fire above, Fire below

Brightness lasts only while something feeds it; keep to what is correct and keep the temper mild.

releaseperseverancenourishment

The Judgment

Lí. It will be advantageous to be firm and correct, and that thus there will be free course and success. Let also nourish the cow, and there will be good fortune.

Legge’s 1882 translation

Li indicates that, (in regard to what it denotes), it will be advantageous to be firm and correct, and that thus there will be free course and success. Let (its subject) also nourish (a docility like that of) the cow, and there will be good fortune.

The Image

XXX. (The trigram for) brightness, repeated, forms Li. The great man, in accordance with this, cultivates more and more his brilliant (virtue), and diffuses its brightness over the four quarters (of the land).

明两作,离;大人以继明照于四方。

The Six Lines

The first nine · 初九

The first line, undivided, shows one ready to move with confused steps. But he treads at the same time reverently, and there will be no mistake.

Legge’s 1882 translation

The first nine, undivided, shows one ready to move with confused steps. But he treads at the same time reverently, and there will be no mistake.

The second six · 六二

The second line, divided, shows its subject in his place in yellow. There will be great good fortune.

Legge’s 1882 translation

The second six, divided, shows its subject in his place in yellow. There will be great good fortune.

The third nine · 九三

The third line, undivided, shows its subject in a position like that of the declining sun. Instead of playing on his instrument of earthenware, and singing to it, he utters the groans of an old man of eighty. There will be evil.

Legge’s 1882 translation

The third nine, undivided, shows its subject in a position like that of the declining sun. Instead of playing on his instrument of earthenware, and singing to it, he utters the groans of an old man of eighty. There will be evil.

The fourth nine · 九四

The fourth line, undivided, shows the manner of its subject's coming. How abrupt it is, as with fire, with death, to be rejected!

Legge’s 1882 translation

The fourth nine, undivided, shows the manner of its subject's coming. How abrupt it is, as with fire, with death, to be rejected (by all)!

The fifth six · 六五

The fifth line, divided, shows its subject as one with tears flowing in torrents, and groaning in sorrow. There will be good fortune.

Legge’s 1882 translation

The fifth six, divided, shows its subject as one with tears flowing in torrents, and groaning in sorrow. There will be good fortune.

The topmost nine · 上九

The topmost line, undivided, shows the king employing its subject in his punitive expeditions. Achieving admirable, he breaks the chiefs. Where his prisoners were not their associates, he does not punish. There will be no error.

Legge’s 1882 translation

The topmost nine, undivided, shows the king employing its subject in his punitive expeditions. Achieving admirable (merit), he breaks (only) the chiefs (of the rebels). Where his prisoners were not their associates, he does not punish. There will be no error.

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