Hexagram 62 of 64 · King Wen order
小過Preponderance of the Small
Xiǎo Guò · ䷽ · above: Thunder ☳ 震 Zhèn · below: Mountain ☶ 艮 Gèn
A time for extreme modesty and caution, sticking to small tasks while avoiding grand ambitions.A one-line gloss written for this site (AI-assisted). Everything below it is the classical text.
The Judgment 卦辭
亨，利貞，可小事，不可大事。飛鳥遺之音，不宜上宜下，大吉。
Hsiâo Kwo indicates that (in the circumstances which it implies) there will be progress and attainment. But it will be advantageous to be firm and correct. (What the name denotes) may be done in small affairs, but not in great affairs. (It is like) the notes that come down from a bird on the wing;—to descend is better than to ascend. There will (in this way) be great good fortune.
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 Hsiao Kwo (we see) the small (lines) exceeding the others, and (giving the intimation of) progress and attainment.
2. Such 'exceeding, in order to its being advantageous, must be associated with firmness and correctness:'—that is, it must take place (only) according to (the requirements of) the time.
3. The weak (lines) are in the central places, and hence (it is said that what the name denotes) may be done in small affairs, and there will be good fortune.
4. Of the strong (lines one) is not in its proper place, and (the other) is not central, hence it is said that (what the name denotes) 'should not be done in great affairs.'
5. (In the hexagram) we have 'the symbol of a bird on the wing, and of the notes that come down from such a bird, for which it is better to descend than to ascend, thereby leading to great good fortune:'—to ascend is contrary to what is reasonable in the case, while to descend is natural and right.
The Image 象
山上有雷，小過；君子以行過乎恭，喪過乎哀，用過乎儉。
(The trigram representing) a hill and that for thunder above it form Hsiâo Kwo. The superior man, in accordance with this, in his conduct exceeds in humility, in mourning exceeds in sorrow, and in his expenditure exceeds in economy.
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)
飛鳥以凶。
The first SIX, divided, suggests (the idea of) a bird flying, (and ascending) till the issue is evil.
Small Image: 'There is a bird flying (and ascending) till the result is evil:'—nothing can be done to avoid this issue.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 55, Abundance.
Line 2 六二
The second line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
過其祖，遇其妣；不及其君，遇其臣；無咎。
The second SIX, divided, shows its subject passing by his grandfather, and meeting with his grandmother; not attempting anything against his ruler, but meeting him as his minister. There will be no error.
Small Image: 'He does not attempt to reach his ruler:'—a minister should not overpass the distance (between his ruler and himself).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 32, Duration.
Line 3 九三
The third line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
弗過防之，從或戕之，凶。
The third NINE, undivided, shows its subject taking no extraordinary precautions against danger; and some in consequence finding opportunity to assail and injure him. There will be evil.
Small Image: 'Some in consequence find opportunity to assail and injure him. There will be evil:'—how great will it be!
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 16, Enthusiasm.
Line 4 九四
The fourth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
無咎，弗過遇之。往厲必戒，勿用永貞。
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject falling into no error, but meeting (the exigency of his situation), without exceeding (in his natural course). If he go forward, there will be peril, and he must be cautious. There is no occasion to be using firmness perpetually.
Small Image: 'He meets the exigency (of his situation), without exceeding (the proper course):'—(he does so), the position being inappropriate (for a strong line). 'If he go forward, there will be peril, and he must be cautious:'—the result would be that his course would not be long pursued.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 15, Modesty.
Line 5 六五
The fifth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
密雲不雨，自我西郊，公弋取彼在穴。
The fifth SIX, divided, (suggests the idea) of dense clouds, but no rain, coming from our borders in the west. It also (shows) the prince shooting his arrow, and taking the bird in a cave.
Small Image: 'There are dense clouds, but no rain:'—(the line) is in too high a place.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 31, Influence.
Line 6 上六
The sixth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
弗遇過之，飛鳥離之，凶，是謂災眚。
The sixth SIX, divided, shows its subject not meeting (the exigency of his situation), and exceeding (his proper course). (It suggests the idea of) a bird flying far aloft. There will be evil. The case is what is called one of calamity and self-produced injury.
Small Image: 'He does not meet the exigency (of his situation), and exceeds (his proper course):'—(the position indicates) the habit of domineering.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 56, The Wanderer.
Related hexagrams
lines 2-4 below, 3-5 aboveOpposite 錯卦61. Inner Truth 中孚
every line changed
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.