Hexagram 43 of 64 · King Wen order
夬Break-through
Guài · ䷪ · above: Lake ☱ 兌 Duì · below: Heaven ☰ 乾 Qián
The final resolution of a struggle; a push for completion that requires openness and determination rather than violence.A one-line gloss written for this site (AI-assisted). Everything below it is the classical text.
The Judgment 卦辭
揚于王庭，孚號，有厲，告自邑，不利即戎，利有攸往。
Kwâi requires (in him who would fulfil its meaning) the exhibition (of the culprit's guilt) in the royal court, and a sincere and earnest appeal (for sympathy and support), with a consciousness of the peril (involved in cutting off the criminal). He should (also) make announcement in his own city, and show that it will not be well to have recourse at once to arms. (In this way) there will be advantage in whatever he shall go forward to.
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. Kwai is the symbol of displacing or removing. We see (in the figure) the strong (lines) displacing the weak. (We have in it the attributes of) strength and complacency. There is displacement, but harmony (continues).
2. 'The exhibition (of the criminal's guilt) in the royal courtyard' is suggested by the (one) weak (line) mounted on the five strong lines.
There 'is an earnest and sincere appeal (for sympathy and support), and a consciousness of the peril (involved in the undertaking):'—it is the realisation of this danger, which makes the method (of compassing the object) brilliant.
'He should make an announcement in his own city, and show that it will not be well to have recourse at once to arms:'—(if he have recourse to arms), what he prefers will (soon) be exhausted.
'There will be advantage in whatever he shall go forward to:'—when the growth of the strong (lines) has been completed, there will be an end (of the displacement).
The Image 象
澤上于天，夬；君子以施祿及下，居德則忌。
(The trigram representing) heaven and that for the waters of a marsh mounting above it form Kwâi. The superior man, in accordance with this, bestows emolument on those below him, and dislikes allowing his gifts to accumulate (undispensed).
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)
壯于前趾，往不勝為吝。
The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject in (the pride of) strength advancing with his toes. He goes forward, but will not succeed. There will be ground for blame.
Small Image: 'Without (being able to) succeed, he goes forward:'—this is an error.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 28, Preponderance of the Great.
Line 2 九二
The second line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
惕號，莫夜有戎，勿恤。
The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject full of apprehension and appealing (for sympathy and help). Late at night hostile measures may be (taken against him), but he need not be anxious about them.
Small Image: 'Though hostile measures be taken against him, he need not be anxious:'—he pursues the course of the due mean.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 49, Revolution.
Line 3 九三
The third line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
壯于頄，有凶。君子夬夬，獨行遇雨，若濡有慍，無咎。
The third NINE, undivided, shows its subject (about to advance) with strong (and determined) looks. There will be evil. (But) the superior man, bent on cutting off (the criminal), will walk alone and encounter the rain, (till he be hated by his proper associates) as if he were contaminated (by the others). (In the end) there will be no blame against him.
Small Image: 'The superior man looks bent on cutting off the culprit:'—there will in the end be no error.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 58, The Joyous, Lake.
Line 4 九四
The fourth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
臀無膚，其行次且。牽羊悔亡，聞言不信。
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows one from whose buttocks the skin has been stripped, and who walks slowly and with difficulty. (If he could act) like a sheep led (after its companions), occasion for repentance would disappear. But though he hear these words, he will not believe them.
Small Image: 'He walks slowly and with difficulty:'—he is not in the place appropriate to him. 'He hears these words, but does not believe them:'—he hears, but does not understand.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 5, Waiting.
Line 5 九五
The fifth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
莧陸夬夬，中行無咎。
The fifth NINE, undivided, shows (the small men like) a bed of purslain, which ought to be uprooted with the utmost determination. (The subject of the line having such determination), his action, in harmony with his central position, will lead to no error or blame.
Small Image: 'If his action be in harmony with his central position, there will be no error:'—but his standing in the due mean is not yet clearly displayed.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 34, The Power of the Great.
Line 6 上六
The sixth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
無號，終有凶。
The sixth SIX, divided, shows its subject without any (helpers) on whom to call. His end will be evil.
Small Image: 'There is the misery of having none on whom to call:'—the end will be that he cannot continue any longer.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 1, The Creative.
Related hexagrams
lines 2-4 below, 3-5 aboveOpposite 錯卦23. Splitting Apart 剝
every line changedInverse 綜卦44. Coming to Meet 姤
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.