Anonymous (traditionally attributed to King Wen, the Duke of Zhou and Confucius) · Complete work
Hexagram 25 · Wú Wàng ䷘
Hexagram 25 · Wú Wàng ䷘ of 69. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Classical Chinese
无妄：元亨。利貞。其匪正有眚，不利有攸往。
初九：无妄，往吉。
六二：不耕穫，不菑畬，則利有攸往。
六三：无妄之災，或繫之牛，行人之得，邑人之災。
九四：可貞，无咎。
九五：无妄之疾，勿藥有喜。
上九：无妄，行有眚，无攸利。
彖曰：无妄，剛自外來，而為主於內。動而健，剛中而應，大亨以正，天之命也。其匪正有眚，不利有攸往。无妄之往，何之矣？天命不佑，行矣哉？
象曰：天下雷行，物與无妄；先王以茂對時，育萬物。
无妄之往，得志也。
不耕穫，未富也。
行人得牛，邑人災也。
可貞无咎，固有之也。
无妄之藥，不可試也。
无妄之行，窮之災也。
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.
Wu Wang (Innocence): Supreme success. Steadfastness is favorable. If one is not upright, calamity follows; it is not favorable to have somewhere to go.
Nine at the beginning: In innocence, going forth brings good fortune.
Six in the second place: Not plowing for the harvest, nor clearing new fields for tilled land: then it is favorable to go somewhere.
Six in the third place: An innocent person's calamity: someone tethers an ox; a passerby takes it, and a townsman suffers the loss.
Nine in the fourth place: One may be steadfast. No blame.
Nine in the fifth place: Illness without cause. Do not take medicine, and there will be joy.
Nine at the top: In innocence, going forth brings calamity; nothing is favorable.
The Judgment Commentary says: In Wu Wang, firmness comes from without and takes the leading place within. Movement joined to strength, firmness at the center receiving a response: great success through uprightness is heaven's mandate. If one is not upright, calamity follows; it is not favorable to go anywhere. When innocence goes forth, where could it go? If heaven's mandate gives no aid, could one go forth?
The Image Commentary says: Thunder moves beneath heaven, and all beings share in innocence. Thus the former kings answered the seasons abundantly and nurtured all beings.
Going forth in innocence: one fulfills one's purpose.
Not plowing for the harvest: one does not yet seek riches.
A passerby gains an ox; a townsman suffers calamity.
One may be steadfast without blame: this firmness is inherent.
Medicine for an illness without cause must not be tried.
Going forth in innocence: at the end there is calamity.
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.
Wu Wang (Without Falsehood): Supreme success. Staying steady is favorable. Acting improperly brings disaster; going anywhere is not favorable.
Nine at the beginning: Without falsehood, going forward brings good fortune.
Six in the second place: Do not plow thinking of the harvest; do not clear new land thinking of the established field. Then going somewhere will be favorable.
Six in the third place: An unexpected disaster. Someone ties up an ox; a passerby takes it and the townspeople suffer the loss.
Nine in the fourth place: You can stay steady. No blame.
Nine in the fifth place: An illness that comes without cause. Do not take medicine, and there will be joy.
Nine at the top: Without falsehood, moving now brings disaster. Nothing is favorable.
The Judgment Commentary says: In Wu Wang, a firm line comes from outside and takes charge inside. It moves with strength; the firm line is central and receives a response. Great success through upright conduct is heaven's command. Acting improperly brings disaster; going anywhere is not favorable. If one goes ahead without a clear purpose, where can one go? If heaven's command offers no help, can one really act?
The Image Commentary says: Thunder moves under heaven, and all things are free from falsehood. Former kings therefore worked hard to meet the seasons and nurtured everything.
Going forward without falsehood means achieving one's aim.
Not plowing for the harvest means not yet having wealth.
A passerby gets the ox, and the townspeople suffer disaster.
Staying steady without blame means holding firmly to what one has.
Medicine for an illness without cause should not be tried.
Moving forward without falsehood brings the disaster of reaching the end of the road.