Hexagram 43 · ䷪

Breakthrough

夬 · Guài

Upper Lake 兌Lower Heaven 乾

The Judgment · 卦辭

揚于王庭，孚號，有厲，告自邑，不利即戎，利有攸往。

Kwâi requires (in him who would fulfil its meaning) the exhibition (of the culprit's guilt) in the royal court, and a sincere and earnest appeal (for sympathy and support), with a consciousness of the peril (involved in cutting off the criminal). He should (also) make announcement in his own city, and show that it will not be well to have recourse at once to arms. (In this way) there will be advantage in whatever he shall go forward to.

The Image · 大象

澤上于天，夬；君子以施祿及下，居德則忌。

(The trigram representing) heaven and that for the waters of a marsh mounting above it form Kwâi. The superior man, in accordance with this, bestows emolument on those below him, and dislikes allowing his gifts to accumulate (undispensed).

Plain-English Meaning

Breakthrough. Speak the truth clearly and resolve the issue firmly, but without aggression.

The Judgment

Make the matter known openly and honestly; do not rely on force.

The Image

Like a lake rising to the sky, share what you have and do not hoard virtue.

Editorial summary written for this site; not a translation.

The Lines · 爻辭

初九 · Line 1
壯于前趾，往不勝為咎。
The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject in (the pride of) strength advancing with his toes. He goes forward, but will not succeed. There will be ground for blame.
象曰：不勝而往，咎也。
九二 · Line 2
惕號，莫夜有戎，勿恤。
The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject full of apprehension and appealing (for sympathy and help). Late at night hostile measures may be (taken against him), but he need not be anxious about them.
象曰：莫夜有戎，得中道也。
九三 · Line 3
壯于頄，有凶。君子夬夬，獨行遇雨，若濡有慍，无咎。
The third NINE, undivided, shows its subject (about to advance) with strong (and determined) looks. There will be evil. (But) the superior man, bent on cutting off (the criminal), will walk alone and encounter the rain, (till he be hated by his proper associates) as if he were contaminated (by the others). (In the end) there will be no blame against him.
象曰：君子夬夬，終无咎也。
九四 · Line 4
臀无膚，其行次且。牽羊悔亡，聞言不信。
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows one from whose buttocks the skin has been stripped, and who walks slowly and with difficulty. (If he could act) like. a sheep led (after its companions), occasion for repentance would disappear. But though he hear these words, he will not believe them.
象曰：其行次且，位不當也。聞言不信，聰不明也。
九五 · Line 5
莧陸夬夬，中行无咎。
The fifth NINE, undivided, shows (the small men like) a bed of purslain, which ought to be uprooted with the utmost determination. (The subject of the line having such determination), his action, in harmony with his central position, will lead to no error or blame.
象曰：中行无咎，中未光也。
上六 · Line 6
无號，終有凶。
The sixth SIX, divided, shows its subject without any (helpers) on whom to call. His end will be evil.
象曰：无號之凶，終不可長也。

English: James Legge (1882), public domain · Text · Image (Appendix II), sacred-texts.com.

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