| | ䷎謙: |
謙：亨，君子有終。 |
| Qian: |
Qian indicates progress and success. The superior man, (being humble as it implies), will have a (good) issue (to his undertakings). |
| | 彖傳: |
謙，亨，天道下濟而光明，地道卑而上行。天道虧盈而益謙，地道變盈而流謙，鬼神害盈而福謙，人道惡盈而好謙。謙尊而光，卑而不可踰，君子之終也。 |
| Tuan Zhuan: |
Qian indicates progress and success. It is the way of heaven to send down its beneficial influences below, where they are brilliantly displayed. It is the way of earth, lying low, to send its influences upwards and (there) to act. It is the way of heaven to diminish the full and augment the humble. It is the way of earth to overthrow the full and replenish the humble. Spiritual Beings inflict calamity on the full and bless the humble. It is the way of men to hate the full and love the humble. Humility in a position of honour makes that still more brilliant; and in a low position men will not (seek to) pass beyond it. Thus it is that 'the superior man will have a (good) issue (to his undertakings).' |
| | 象傳: |
地中有山，謙；君子以裒多益寡，稱物平施。 |
| Xiang Zhuan: |
(The trigram for) the earth and (that of) a mountain in the midst of it form Qian. The superior man, in accordance with this, diminishes what is excessive (in himself), and increases where there is any defect, bringing about an equality, according to the nature of the case, in his treatment (of himself and others). |
| | ䷎謙: |
初六：謙謙君子，用涉大川，吉。 |
| Qian: |
The first SIX, divided, shows us the superior man who adds humility to humility. (Even) the great stream may be crossed with this, and there will be good fortune. |
| | 象傳: |
謙謙君子，卑以自牧也。 |
| Xiang Zhuan: |
'The superior man who adds humility to humility' is one who nourishes his (virtue) in lowliness. |
| | 繫辭上: |
天尊地卑，乾坤定矣。卑高以陳，貴賤位矣。動靜有常，剛柔斷矣。方以類聚，物以群分，吉凶生矣。在天成象，在地成形，變化見矣。 |
| Xi Ci I: |
Heaven is lofty and honourable; earth is low. (Their symbols), Qian and Kun, (with their respective meanings), were determined (in accordance with this). Things low and high appear displayed in a similar relation. The (upper and lower trigrams, and the relative position of individual lines, as) noble and mean, had their places assigned accordingly. Movement and rest are the regular qualities (of their respective subjects). Hence comes the definite distinction (of the several lines) as the strong and the weak. (Affairs) are arranged together according to their tendencies, and things are divided according to their classes. Hence were produced (the interpretations in the Yi, concerning) what is good [or lucky] and evil [or unlucky]. In the heavens there are the (different) figures there completed, and on the earth there are the (different) bodies there formed. (Corresponding to them) were the changes and transformations exhibited (in the Yi). |
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是故，剛柔相摩，八卦相盪。鼓之以雷霆，潤之以風雨，日月運行，一寒一暑，乾道成男，坤道成女。乾知大始，坤作成物。乾以易知，坤以簡能。 |
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After this fashion a strong and a weak line were manipulated together (till there were the eight trigrams), and those eight trigrams were added, each to itself and to all the others, (till the sixty-four hexagrams were formed). We have the exciting forces of thunder and lightning; the fertilising influences of wind and rain; and the revolutions of the sun and moon, which give rise to cold and warmth. The attributes expressed by Qian constitute the male; those expressed by Kun constitute the female. Qian (symbolises Heaven, which) directs the great beginnings of things; Kun (symbolises Earth, which) gives to them their completion. It is by the ease with which it proceeds that Qian directs (as it does), and by its unhesitating response that Kun exhibits such ability. |
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易則易知，簡則易從。易知則有親，易從則有功。有親則可久，有功則可大。可久則賢人之德，可大則賢人之業。易簡，而天下之理得矣；天下之理得，而成位乎其中矣。 |
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(He who attains to this) ease (of Heaven) will be easily understood, and (he who attains to this) freedom from laborious effort (of the Earth) will be easily followed. He who is easily understood will have adherents, and he who is easily followed will achieve success. He who has adherents can continue long, and he who achieves success can become great. To be able to continue long shows the virtue of the wise and able man; to be able to become great is the heritage he will acquire. With the attainment of such ease and such freedom from laborious effort, the mastery is got of all principles under the sky. With the attainment of that mastery, (the sage) makes good his position in the middle (between heaven and earth). |
| | 繫辭上: |
子曰：「易其至矣乎！」，夫易，聖人所以崇德而廣業也。知崇禮卑，崇效天，卑法地。天地設位，而易行乎其中矣，成性存存，道義之門。 |
| Xi Ci I: |
The Master said: - 'Is not the Yi a perfect book?' It was by the Yi that the sages exalted their virtue, and enlarged their sphere of occupation. Their wisdom was high, and their rules of conduct were solid. That loftiness was after the pattern of heaven; that solidity, after the pattern of earth. Heaven and earth having their positions as assigned to them, the changes (of nature) take place between them. The nature (of man) having been completed, and being continually preserved, it is the gate of all good courses and righteousness. |
