Hexagram 45 · ䷬

Gathering Together

萃 · Cuì

Upper Lake 兌Lower Earth 坤

The Judgment · 卦辭

王假有廟，利見大人，亨。利貞。用大牲吉，利有攸往。

In (the state denoted by) Žhui, the king will repair to his ancestral temple. It will be advantageous (also) to meet with the great man; and then there will be progress and success, though the advantage must come through firm correctness. The use of great victims will conduce to good fortune; and in whatever direction movement is made, it will be advantageous.

The Image · 大象

澤上于地，萃；君子以除戎器，戒不虞。

(The trigram representing the) earth and that for the waters of a marsh raised above it form Žhui. The superior man, in accordance with this, has his weapons of war put in good repair, to be prepared against unforeseen contingencies.

Plain-English Meaning

Gathering together. People unite around a shared centre; prepare carefully for the unexpected.

The Judgment

Gathering brings success; seek wise leadership and offer generously.

The Image

Like a lake over the earth, prepare your resources against the unforeseen.

Editorial summary written for this site; not a translation.

The Lines · 爻辭

初六 · Line 1
有孚不終，乃亂乃萃，若號一握為笑，勿恤，往无咎。
The first SIX, divided, shows its subject with a sincere desire (for union), but unable to carry it out, so that disorder is brought into the sphere of his union. If he cry out (for help to his proper correlate), all at once (his tears) will give place to smiles. He need not mind (the temporary difficulty); as he goes forward, there will be no error.
象曰：乃亂乃萃，其志亂也。
六二 · Line 2
引吉，无咎，孚乃利用禴。
The second SIX, divided, shows its subject led forward (by his correlate). There will be good fortune, and freedom from error. There is entire sincerity, and in that case (even the small offerings of) the vernal sacrifice are acceptable.
象曰：引吉无咎，中未變也。
六三 · Line 3
萃如，嗟如，无攸利，往无咎，小吝。
The third SIX, divided, shows its subject striving after union and seeming to sigh, yet nowhere finding any advantage. If he go forward, he will not err, though there may be some small cause for regret.
象曰：往无咎，上巽也。
九四 · Line 4
大吉，无咎。
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject in such a state that, if he be greatly fortunate, he will receive no blame.
象曰：大吉无咎，位不當也。
九五 · Line 5
萃有位，无咎。匪孚，元永貞，悔亡。
The fifth NINE, undivided, shows the union (of all) under its subject in the place of dignity. There will be no error. If any do not have confidence in him, let him see to it that (his virtue) be great, long-continued, and firmly correct, and all occasion for repentance will disappear.
象曰：萃有位，志未光也。
上六 · Line 6
齎資涕洟，无咎。
The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject sighing and weeping; but there will be no error.
象曰：齎咨涕洟，未安上也。

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

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