Anonymous (traditionally attributed to King Wen, the Duke of Zhou and Confucius) · Complete work
Hexagram 36 · Míng Yí ䷣
Hexagram 36 · Míng Yí ䷣ of 69. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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明夷：利艱貞。
初九：明夷于飛，垂其翼。君子于行，三日不食，有攸往，主人有言。
六二：明夷，夷于左股，用拯馬壯，吉。
九三：明夷于南狩，得其大首，不可疾貞。
六四：入于左腹，獲明夷之心，于出門庭。
六五：箕子之明夷，利貞。
上六：不明晦，初登于天，後入于地。
彖曰：明入地中，明夷。內文明而外柔順，以蒙大難，文王以之。利艱貞，晦其明也，內難而能正其志，箕子以之。
象曰：明入地中，明夷；君子以蒞眾，用晦而明。
君子于行，義不食也。
六二之吉，順以則也。
南狩之志，乃大得也。
入于左腹，獲心意也。
箕子之貞，明不可息也。
初登于天，照四國也。後入于地，失則也。
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.
Ming Yi (Darkening of the Light): it is favorable to be steadfast amid hardship.
Nine at the beginning: The light darkened in flight — its wings hang low. The noble person goes on his way, three days without eating; he has somewhere to go, and his host has words of blame for him.
Six in the second place: In the darkening of the light he is wounded in the left thigh; but he has the help of a strong horse — good fortune.
Nine in the third place: In the darkening of the light he makes his hunt in the south and takes its great leader; yet steadfastness cannot be hurried.
Six in the fourth place: He enters into the left of the belly, comes upon the very heart of the darkened light, and then goes out of the gate and courtyard.
Six in the fifth place: The darkening of the light of Jizi — it is favorable to be steadfast.
Six at the top: No light, only dark. First he climbed up to heaven; afterward he entered into the earth.
The Judgment Commentary says: The light enters into the midst of the earth: this is Ming Yi (Darkening of the Light). Within, refinement and light; without, yielding compliance — thus to bear great calamity: such was the way of King Wen. "It is favorable to be steadfast amid hardship": he veils his light, and amid trouble within the state he can still keep his will upright: such was the way of Jizi.
The Image Commentary says: The light enters into the midst of the earth: Ming Yi. Thus the noble person, in coming among the multitude, uses darkness and yet gives light.
"The noble person goes on his way": righteousness would not let him eat.
The good fortune of the six in the second place lies in compliance with the rule.
The purpose of the southern hunt is a great attainment.
"He enters into the left of the belly": he wins the heart's intent.
The steadfastness of Jizi: the light cannot be put out.
"First he climbed up to heaven": he gave light to the four lands. "Afterward he entered into the earth": he lost the rule.
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.
Ming Yi (Darkening of the Light): It is favorable to stay steady in hardship.
Nine at the beginning: In the darkening of the light, it flies with its wings hanging down. The noble person travels without eating for three days. He has somewhere to go, but his host has something to say about it.
Six in the second place: In the darkening of the light, he is wounded in the left thigh. Using a strong horse to rescue him brings good fortune.
Nine in the third place: In the darkening of the light, he hunts in the south and captures the great leader. He must not rush to stay the course.
Six in the fourth place: Entering the left side of the belly, he grasps the heart of the darkening of the light, then leaves through the gate of the courtyard.
Six in the fifth place: Jizi's darkening of the light. It is favorable to stay steady.
Six at the top: Not light but darkness. At first it rose into the sky; later it sank into the earth.
The Judgment Commentary says: Light enters the earth: this is Ming Yi (Darkening of the Light). Inwardly enlightened and outwardly yielding, King Wen used this to endure great hardship. “It is favorable to stay steady in hardship” means hiding one's light. Jizi used this to keep his purpose right amid internal trouble.
The Image Commentary says: Light enters the earth: this is Ming Yi (Darkening of the Light). So the noble person governs the people, keeping his light hidden yet seeing clearly.
The noble person travels and, as a matter of principle, does not eat.
The good fortune of the six in the second place comes from following the rule.
The purpose of hunting in the south is to make a great capture.
Entering the left side of the belly means grasping what is in the heart.
Jizi's staying steady means the light cannot be put out.
“At first it rose into the sky” means it shone over the four lands. “Later it sank into the earth” means it lost its proper course.