| | 鼎: |
木上有火，鼎；君子以正位凝命。 |
| Xiang Zhuan: |
(The trigram representing) wood and above it that for fire form Ding. The superior man, in accordance with this, keeps his every position correct, and maintains secure the appointment (of Heaven). |
| | 鼎: |
鼎顛趾，未悖也。利出否，以從貴也。 |
| Xiang Zhuan: |
'The caldron is overturned, and its feet turned upwards:' - but this is not (all) contrary (to what is right). 'There will be advantage in getting rid of what was bad:' - thereby (the subject of the line) will follow the more noble (subject of the fourth line). |
| | 鼎: |
鼎有實，慎所之也。我仇有疾，終无尤也。 |
| Xiang Zhuan: |
'There is the caldron with the things (to be cooked) in it:' - let (the subject of the line) be careful where he goes. 'My enemy dislikes me:' - but there will in the end be no fault (to which he can point). |
| | 鼎: |
鼎耳革，失其義也。 |
| Xiang Zhuan: |
'There is the caldron with (the places for) its ears changed:' - (its subject) has failed in what was required of him (in his situation). |
| | 鼎: |
覆公餗，信如何也。 |
| Xiang Zhuan: |
'The contents designed for the ruler's use are overturned and spilt:' - how can (the subject of the line) be trusted? |
| | 鼎: |
鼎黃耳，中以為實也。 |
| Xiang Zhuan: |
'The caldron has yellow ears:' - the central position (of the line) is taken as (a proof of) the solid (virtue of its subject). |
| | 鼎: |
玉鉉在上，剛柔節也。 |
| Xiang Zhuan: |
'The rings of jade' are at the very top: - the strong and the weak meet in their due proportions. |
