Hexagram 25 of 64 · King Wen order
無妄Innocence
Wú Wàng · ䷘ · above: Heaven ☰ 乾 Qián · below: Thunder ☳ 震 Zhèn
Acting from one's true nature without ulterior motives or expectation of reward.A one-line gloss written for this site (AI-assisted). Everything below it is the classical text.
The Judgment 卦辭
元，亨，利，貞。其匪正有眚，不利有攸往。
Wû Wang indicates great progress and success, while there will be advantage in being firm and correct. If (its subject and his action) be not correct, he will fall into errors, and it will not be advantageous for him to move in any direction.
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)
In Wu Wang we have the strong (first) line come from the outer (trigram), and become in the inner trigram lord (of the whole figure); we have (the attributes of) motive power and strength; we have the strong line (of the fifth place) in the central position, and responded to (by the weak second):—there will be 'great progress proceeding from correctness; such is the appointment of Heaven.
'If (its subject and his action) be not correct, he will fall into errors, and it will not be advantageous for him to move in any direction:'—whither can he (who thinks he is) free from all insincerity, (and yet is as here described) proceed? Can anything be done (advantageously) by him whom the (will and) appointment of Heaven do not help?
The Image 象
天下雷行，物與無妄；先王以茂對時，育萬物。
The thunder rolls all under the sky, and to (every)thing there is given (its nature), free from all insincerity. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, (made their regulations) in complete accordance with the seasons, thereby nourishing all things.
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 初九
The first line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
無妄，往吉。
The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject free from all insincerity. His advance will be accompanied with good fortune.
Small Image: When 'he who is free from insincerity makes any movement,' he will get what he desires.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 12, Standstill.
Line 2 六二
The second line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
不耕獲，不菑畬，則利有攸往。
The second SIX, divided, shows one who reaps without having ploughed (that he might reap), and gathers the produce of his third year's fields without having cultivated them the first year for that end. To such a one there will be advantage in whatever direction he may move.
Small Image: 'He reaps without having ploughed:'—(the thought of) riches to be got had not risen (in his mind).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 10, Treading.
Line 3 六三
The third line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
無妄之災，或繫之牛，行人之得，邑人之災。
The third SIX, divided, shows calamity happening to one who is free from insincerity;—as in the case of an ox that has been tied up. A passer by finds it (and carries it off), while the people in the neighbourhood have the calamity (of being accused and apprehended).
Small Image: 'The passer-by gets the ox:'—this proves a calamity to the people of the neighbourhood.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 13, Fellowship with Men.
Line 4 九四
The fourth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
可貞，無咎。
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows (a case) in which, if its subject can remain firm and correct, there will be no error.
Small Image: 'If he can remain firm and correct there will be no error:'—he firmly holds fast (his correctness).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 42, Increase.
Line 5 九五
The fifth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
無妄之疾，勿藥有喜。
The fifth NINE, undivided, shows one who is free from insincerity, and yet has fallen ill. Let him not use medicine, and he will have occasion for joy (in his recovery).
Small Image: 'Medicine in the case of one who is free from insincerity!'—it should not be tried (at all).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 21, Biting Through.
Line 6 上九
The sixth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
無妄，行有眚，無攸利。
The topmost NINE, undivided, shows its subject free from insincerity, yet sure to fall into error, if he take action. (His action) will not be advantageous in any way.
Small Image: 'The action (in this case) of one who is free from insincerity' will occasion the calamity arising from action (when the time for it is) exhausted.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 17, Following.
Related hexagrams
lines 2-4 below, 3-5 aboveOpposite 錯卦46. Pushing Upward 升
every line changedInverse 綜卦26. The Taming Power of the Great 大畜
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.