Hexagram 49 · ䷰

Revolution

革 · Gé

Upper Lake 兌Lower Fire 離

The Judgment · 卦辭

已日乃孚，元亨。利貞。悔亡。

(What takes place as indicated by) Ko is believed in only after it has been accomplished. There will be great progress and success. Advantage will come from being firm and correct. (In that case) occasion for repentance will disappear.

The Image · 大象

澤中有火，革；君子以治歷明時。

(The trigram representing the waters of) a marsh and that for fire in the midst of them form Ko. The superior man, in accordance with this, regulates his (astronomical) calculations, and makes clear the seasons and times.

Plain-English Meaning

Revolution. Real change is due; act when the time is right and the reasons are clear.

The Judgment

Change gains trust when its time has come; then regret disappears.

The Image

Like fire within the lake, read the changing seasons and keep your timing clear.

Editorial summary written for this site; not a translation.

The Lines · 爻辭

初九 · Line 1
鞏用黃牛之革。
The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject (as if he were) bound with the skin of a yellow ox.
象曰：鞏用黃牛，不可以有為也。
六二 · Line 2
已日乃革之，征吉，无咎。
The second SIX, divided, shows its subject making his changes after some time has passed. Action taken will be fortunate. There will be no error.
象曰：已日革之，行有嘉也。
九三 · Line 3
征凶，貞厲，革言三就，有孚。
The third NINE, undivided, shows that action taken by its subject will be evil. Though he be firm and correct, his position is perilous. If the change (he contemplates) have been three times fully discussed, he will be believed in.
象曰：革言三就，又何之矣。
九四 · Line 4
悔亡，有孚改命，吉。
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows occasion for repentance disappearing (from its subject). Let him be believed in; and though he change (existing) ordinances, there will be good fortune.
象曰：改命之吉，信志也。
九五 · Line 5
大人虎變，未占有孚。
The fifth NINE, undivided, shows the great man (producing his changes) as the tiger (does when he) changes (his stripes). Before he divines (and proceeds to action), faith has been reposed in him.
象曰：大人虎變，其文炳也。
上六 · Line 6
君子豹變，小人革面，征凶，居貞吉。
The sixth SIX, divided, shows the superior man producing his changes as the leopard (does when he) changes (his spots), while small men change their faces (and show their obedience). To go forward (now) would lead to evil, but there will be good fortune in abiding firm and correct.
象曰：君子豹變，其文蔚也。小人革面，順以從君也。

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

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