| | 繫辭下: |
易之興也，其於中古乎，作易者，其有憂患乎。 |
| Xi Ci II: |
Was it not in the middle period of antiquity that the Yi began to flourish? Was not he who made it familiar with anxiety and calamity? |
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是故，履，德之基也；謙，德之柄也；復，德之本也；恆，德之固也；損德之脩也；益，德之裕也；困，德之辨也；井，德之地也；巽，德之制也。 |
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Therefore (the 10th diagram), Lu, shows us the foundation of virtue; (the 15th), Xian, its handle; (the 24th), Fu, its root; (the 32nd), Heng, its solidity; (the 41st), Sun, its cultivation; (the 42nd), Yi, its abundance; (the 47th), Kun, its exercise of discrimination; (the 48th), Jing, its field and (the 57th), Xun, its regulation. |
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履，和而至；謙，尊而光；復，小而辨於物；恆，雜而不厭；損，先難而後易；益，長裕而不設；困，窮而通；井，居其所而遷，巽，稱而隱。 |
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In Lu we have the perfection of harmony; in Xian, we have the giving honour to others, and the distinction thence arising; in Fu we have what is small (at first), but there is in it a (nice) discrimination of (the qualities of) things; in Ming we have a mixed experience, but without any weariness; in Sun we have difficulty in the beginning and ease in the end; in Yi we have abundance of growth without any contrivance; in Kun we have the pressure of extreme difficulty, ending in a free course,; in Jing we have abiding in one's place and at the same time removal (to meet the movement of others); and in Xun we have the weighing of things (and action accordingly), but secretly and unobserved. |
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履以和行，謙以制禮，復以自知，恆以一德，損以遠害，益以興利，困以寡怨，井以辯義，巽以行權。 |
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(The use of) Lu appears in the harmony of the conduct; of Xian, in the regulation of ceremonies; of Fu, in self-knowledge; of Heng, in uniformity of virtue; of Sun, in keeping what is harmful at a distance; of Yi, in the promotion of what is advantageous; of Kun, in the diminution of resentments; of Jing, in the discrimination of what is righteous; and of Xun, in the doing of what is appropriate to time and to circumstances. |
