Home › I Ching · 64 hexagrams › Hexagram 40
James Legge, 1899 (public domain)
In (the state indicated by) Kieh advantage will be found in the south-west. If no (further) operations be called for, there will be good fortune in coming back (to the old conditions). If some operations be called for, there will be good fortune in the early conducting of them.
Kieh — thunder at work with rain — is release, the knots of Kien untied, and the oracle turns liberal, even forgiving. The south-west holds advantage. If no further operations are needed, come back to the old conditions: good fortune. If something must be done, do it early and without delay. In hunting, three foxes are caught and the golden arrows won. The porter who rides in a carriage tempts robbers; there will be cause for regret. Remove what binds the toes, and friends arrive in mutual confidence. The superior man removes whatever is injurious, and small men show confidence. The falcon on the high wall is hit — advantageous in every way. Settle quickly; let the rain fall.
Line 1
The first line, divided, shows that its subject will commit no error.
Line 2
The second line, undivided, shows its subject catch, in hunting, three foxes, and obtain the yellow (=golden) arrows. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.
Line 3
The third line, divided, shows a porter with his burden, (yet) riding in a carriage. He will (only) tempt robbers to attack him. However firm and correct he may (try to) be, there will be cause for regret.
Line 4
(To the subject of) the fourth line, undivided, (it is said), 'Remove your toes. Friends will (then) come, between you and whom there will be mutual confidence.'
Line 5
The fifth line, divided, shows (its subject), the superior man (=the ruler), executing his function of removing (whatever is injurious to the idea of the hexagram), in which case there will be good fortune, and confidence in him will be shown even by the small men.
Line 6
In the sixth line, divided, we see a feudal prince (with his bow) shooting at a falcon on the top of a high wall, and hitting it. (The effect of his action) will be in every way advantageous.