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James Legge, 1899 (public domain)
Ting gives the intimation of great progress and success.
Ting is the caldron: wood feeding fire, the raw turned into nourishment. The oracle gives great progress and success to whoever sets the vessel straight and holds the mandate firm. An overturned caldron still rids itself of what was bad; the concubine rises by her son, no error. Fill the vessel and say to the enemy: you cannot approach me. Change the ears, and the fat of the pheasant goes untasted — yet genial rain comes, repentance disappears, and the end is good. Broken feet spill the ruler's food: shame, and evil. Yellow ears and rings of metal carry advantage; rings of jade, great good fortune everywhere. Stand in your place and be the vessel that bears the offering.
Line 1
The first line, divided, shows the caldron overthrown and its feet turned up. (But) there will be advantage in its getting rid of what was bad in it. (Or it shows us) the concubine (whose position is improved) by means of her son. There will be no error.
Line 2
The second line, undivided, shows the caldron with the things (to be cooked) in it. (If its subject can say), 'My enemy dislikes me, but he cannot approach me,' there will be good fortune.
Line 3
The third line, undivided, shows the caldron with (the places of) its ears changed. The progress (of its subject) is (thus) stopped. The fat flesh of the pheasant (which is in the caldron) will not be eaten. But the (genial) rain will come, and the grounds for repentance will disappear. There will be good fortune in the end.
Line 4
The fourth line, undivided, shows the caldron with its feet broken; and its contents, designed for the ruler's use, overturned and spilt. Its subject will be made to blush for shame. There will be evil.
Line 5
The fifth line, divided, shows the caldron with yellow ears and rings of metal in them. There will be advantage through being firm and correct.
Line 6
The sixth line, undivided, shows the caldron with rings of jade. There will be great good fortune, and all action taken will be in every way advantageous.