Hexagram 16 of 64 · King Wen order
豫Enthusiasm
Yù · ䷏ · above: Thunder ☳ 震 Zhèn · below: Earth ☷ 坤 Kūn
A state of shared joy and movement that inspires action, but requires groundedness to avoid delusion.A one-line gloss written for this site (AI-assisted). Everything below it is the classical text.
The Judgment 卦辭
利建侯行師。
Yü indicates that, (in the state which it implies), feudal princes may be set up, and the hosts put in motion, with advantage.
James Legge, The Yî King (1882), the Text. Words in (parentheses) are Legge's own additions.
Commentary on the Judgment 彖傳 (Tuan, the first Wing)
1. In Yu we see the strong (line) responded to by all the others, and the will (of him whom it represents) being carried out; and (also) docile obedience employing movement (for its purposes). (From these things comes) Yu (the Condition of harmony and satisfaction).
2. In this condition we have docile obedience employing movement (for its purposes), and therefore it is so as between heaven and earth;—how much more will it be so (among men) in 'the setting up of feudal princes and putting the hosts in motion!'
3. Heaven and earth show that docile obedience in connexion with movement, and hence the sun and moon make no error (in time), and the four seasons do not deviate (from their order). The sages show such docile obedience in connexion with their movements, and hence their punishments and penalties are entirely just, and the people acknowledge it by their submission. Great indeed are the time and significance indicated in Yu!
The Image 象
雷出地奮，豫。先王以作樂崇德，殷薦之上帝，以配祖考。
(The trigrams for) the earth and thunder issuing from it with its crashing noise form Yü. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, composed their music and did honour to virtue, presenting it especially and most grandly to God, when they associated with Him (at the service) their highest ancestor and their father.
Legge's Great Image (Appendix II). The Chinese above also carries the Small Images of the six lines.
The six lines 爻辭
Read from the bottom (line 1) to the top (line 6). Each line: the Chinese, Legge's translation, and the Small Image commentary on it.
Line 1 初六
The first line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
鳴豫，凶。
The first SIX, divided, shows its subject proclaiming his pleasure and satisfaction. There will be evil.
Small Image: 'The (subject of the) first six proclaims his pleasure and satisfaction:'—there will be evil; his wishes have been satisfied to overflowing.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 51, The Arousing.
Line 2 六二
The second line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
介于石，不終日，貞吉。
The second SIX, divided, shows one who is firm as a rock. (He sees a thing) without waiting till it has come to pass; with his firm correctness there will be good fortune.
Small Image: '(He sees a thing) without waiting till it has come to pass; with his firm correctness there will be good fortune:'—this is shown by the central and correct position (of the line).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 40, Deliverance.
Line 3 六三
The third line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
盱豫，悔。遲有悔。
The third SIX, divided, shows one looking up (for favours), while he indulges the feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. If he would understand!—If he be late in doing so, there will indeed be occasion for repentance.
Small Image: 'He looks up (for favours), while he indulges the feeling of satisfaction; there will be occasion for repentance:'—this is intimated by the position not being the appropriate one.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 62, Preponderance of the Small.
Line 4 九四
The fourth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
由豫，大有得。勿疑。朋盍簪。
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows him from whom the harmony and satisfaction come. Great is the success which he obtains. Let him not allow suspicions to enter his mind, and thus friends will gather around him.
Small Image: 'From him the harmony and satisfaction come; great is the success which he obtains:'—his aims take effect on a grand scale.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 2, The Receptive.
Line 5 六五
The fifth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
貞疾，恆不死。
The fifth SIX, divided, shows one with a chronic complaint, but who lives on without dying.
Small Image: '(The subject of) the fifth six has a chronic complaint:'—this is shown by his being mounted on the strong (line). 'He still lives on without dying:'—he is in the central position, (and its memories of the past) have not yet perished.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 45, Gathering Together.
Line 6 上六
The sixth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
冥豫，成有渝，無咎。
The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject with darkened mind devoted to the pleasure and satisfaction (of the time); but if he change his course even when (it may be considered as) completed, there will be no error.
Small Image: 'With darkened mind devoted to the harmony and satisfaction (of the time),' as shown in the topmost (line):—how can one in such a condition continue long?
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 35, Progress.
Related hexagrams
lines 2-4 below, 3-5 aboveOpposite 錯卦9. The Taming Power of the Small 小畜
every line changedInverse 綜卦15. Modesty 謙
turned upside down
A hexagram is a mirror, not a command: read it to reflect, never to obey. Sources: James Legge (tr.), The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XVI (Oxford, 1882; 2nd ed. 1899), public domain; the Chinese text from Project Gutenberg ebook #25501 (易經), public domain. The trigram facts and the related hexagrams are computed from the line pattern. The gloss, selection and arrangement are CC-BY-SA-4.0 (PlayfulProcess). Data: github.com/PlayfulProcess/recursive-iching.