The 64 Hexagrams / 33
Hexagram 33 · ䷠
Retreat
遯 · Dùn
Upper Heaven 乾Lower Mountain 艮
The Judgment · 卦辭
亨。小利貞。
Thun indicates successful progress (in its circumstances). To a small extent it will (still) be advantageous to be firm and correct.
The Image · 大象
天下有山，遯；君子以遠小人，不惡而嚴。
(The trigram representing) the sky and below it that for a mountain form Thun. The superior man, in accordance with this, keeps small men at a distance, not by showing that he hates them, but by his own. dignified gravity.
Plain-English Meaning
Retreat. Withdraw with dignity and timing, not out of fear; protect what is essential.
The Judgment
Retreat brings success; small persistence is favoured.
The Image
Like a mountain beneath heaven, keep the petty at a distance, with dignity rather than anger.
Editorial summary written for this site; not a translation.
The Lines · 爻辭
- 初六 · Line 1遯尾，厲，勿用有攸往。The first SIX, divided, shows a retiring tail. The position is perilous. No movement in any direction should be made.象曰：遯尾之厲，不往何災也。
- 六二 · Line 2執之用黃牛之革，莫之勝說。The second SIX, divided, shows its subject holding (his purpose) fast as if by a (thong made from the) hide of a yellow ox, which cannot be broken.象曰：執用黃牛，固志也。
- 九三 · Line 3係遯，有疾厲，畜臣妾吉。The third NINE, undivided, shows one retiring but bound,--to his distress and peril. (If he were to deal with his binders as in) nourishing a servant or concubine, it would be fortunate for him.象曰：係遯之厲，有疾憊也。畜臣妾吉，不可大事也。
- 九四 · Line 4好遯君子吉，小人否。The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject retiring notwithstanding his likings. In a superior man this will lead to good fortune; a small man cannot attain to this.象曰：君子好遯，小人否也。
- 九五 · Line 5嘉遯，貞吉。The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject retiring in an admirable way. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.象曰：嘉遯貞吉，以正志也。
- 上九 · Line 6肥遯，无不利。The sixth NINE, undivided, shows its subject retiring in a noble way. It will be advantageous in every respect.象曰：肥遯，无不利；无所疑也。
English: James Legge (1882), public domain · Text · Image (Appendix II), sacred-texts.com.