Anonymous (traditionally attributed to King Wen, the Duke of Zhou and Confucius) · Complete work
Hexagram 21 · Shì Kè ䷔
Hexagram 21 · Shì Kè ䷔ of 69. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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噬嗑：亨。利用獄。
初九：屨校滅趾，无咎。
六二：噬膚滅鼻，无咎。
六三：噬昔肉，遇毒；小吝，无咎。
九四：噬乾胏，得金矢，利艱貞，吉。
六五：噬乾肉，得黃金，貞厲，无咎。
上九：何校滅耳，凶。
彖曰：頤中有物，曰噬嗑，噬嗑而亨。剛柔分，動而明，雷電合而章。柔得中而上行，雖不當位，利用獄也。
象曰：雷電噬嗑；先王以明罰敕法。
屨校滅趾，不行也。
噬膚滅鼻，乘剛也。
遇毒，位不當也。
利艱貞吉，未光也。
貞厲无咎，得當也。
何校滅耳，聰不明也。
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the classical Chinese, passage for passage, covering all 64 hexagrams with their judgments, line statements and attached commentaries, and the remaining Wings (the Great Commentary, the Discussion of the Trigrams, the Sequence and the Contrasts of the Hexagrams), 1,204 passages in all.
Shi Ke (Biting Through): Success. It is favorable to use prisons.
Nine at the beginning: Feet locked in stocks until the toes disappear. No blame.
Six in the second place: Biting through flesh until the nose disappears. No blame.
Six in the third place: Biting old meat, one encounters poison. Slight humiliation, but no blame.
Nine in the fourth place: Biting dried meat on the bone, one finds a metal arrow. Steadfastness amid hardship is favorable. Good fortune.
Six in the fifth place: Biting dried meat, one finds yellow gold. Steadfastness amid danger; no blame.
Nine at the top: Bearing a wooden collar until the ears disappear. Misfortune.
The Judgment Commentary says: Something is held between the jaws: this is called Shi Ke. Biting Through brings success. Firm and yielding are distinct; movement and clarity unite; thunder and lightning meet and shine. The yielding attains the center and moves upward; although it does not occupy its proper place, it is favorable to use prisons.
The Image Commentary says: Thunder and lightning: Shi Ke. Thus the former kings made punishments clear and set the laws in order.
Feet locked in stocks until the toes disappear: one cannot walk.
Biting through flesh until the nose disappears: the yielding rides upon the firm.
Encountering poison: the position is not fitting.
Steadfastness amid hardship is favorable, bringing good fortune: the light has not yet shone.
Steadfastness amid danger, no blame: it finds what is fitting.
Bearing a collar until the ears disappear: hearing is not clear.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the classical Chinese, covering all 64 hexagrams with their judgments, line statements and attached commentaries, and the remaining Wings (the Great Commentary, the Discussion of the Trigrams, the Sequence and the Contrasts of the Hexagrams), 1,204 passages in all.
Shi Ke (Biting Through): Success. It is favorable to use the courts.
Nine at the beginning: His feet are locked in stocks that cover his toes. No blame.
Six in the second place: Bite into soft meat until the nose is covered. No blame.
Six in the third place: Bite into dried meat and encounter poison. A little humiliation, but no blame.
Nine in the fourth place: Bite into dried meat on the bone and find a metal arrow. Staying steady through difficulty is favorable. Good fortune.
Six in the fifth place: Bite into dried meat and find yellow gold. Staying steady brings danger, but no blame.
Nine at the top: He carries a wooden collar that covers his ears. Misfortune.
The Judgment Commentary says: Something lies between the jaws; this is called Shi Ke. Biting through it brings success. Firm and yielding are distinct. There is movement and clarity: thunder and lightning come together and become visible. The yielding line reaches the center and rises. Though it is not in its proper position, using the courts is favorable.
The Image Commentary says: Thunder and lightning form Shi Ke. Former kings therefore clarified punishments and set laws in order.
Stocks covering his toes prevent him from walking.
Biting soft meat until the nose is covered happens because this line rides on a firm one.
He encounters poison because his position is improper.
Staying steady through difficulty brings good fortune because the light has not yet spread.
Staying steady brings danger but no blame because this is appropriate.
The wooden collar covers his ears because he failed to listen clearly.