Anonymous (traditionally attributed to King Wen, the Duke of Zhou and Confucius) · Complete work
Hexagram 42 · Yì ䷩
Hexagram 42 · Yì ䷩ of 69. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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益：利有攸往。利涉大川。
初九：利用為大作，元吉，无咎。
六二：或益之，十朋之龜弗克違，永貞吉。王用享于帝，吉。
六三：益之用凶事，无咎。有孚中行，告公用圭。
六四：中行，告公從。利用為依遷國。
九五：有孚惠心，勿問元吉。有孚惠我德。
上九：莫益之，或擊之，立心勿恆，凶。
彖曰：益，損上益下，民說无疆，自上下下，其道大光。利有攸往，中正有慶。利涉大川，木道乃行。益動而巽，日進无疆。天施地生，其益无方。凡益之道，與時偕行。
象曰：風雷，益；君子以見善則遷，有過則改。
元吉无咎，下不厚事也。
或益之，自外來也。
益用凶事，固有之也。
告公從，以益志也。
有孚惠心，勿問之矣。惠我德，大得志也。
莫益之，偏辭也。或擊之，自外來也。
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.
Yi (Increase): it is favorable to have somewhere to go. It is favorable to cross the great river.
Nine at the beginning: It is favorable to undertake great works — supreme good fortune, no blame.
Six in the second place: Someone adds to his gain; ten pairs of tortoise shells could not be refused. Lasting steadfastness brings good fortune. The king presents offerings to the Lord on High — good fortune.
Six in the third place: His increase is spent on the work of misfortune — no blame. Sincere and holding to the middle way, he announces to the duke with a jade scepter.
Six in the fourth place: Holding to the middle way, he reports to the duke, who follows. It is favorable to lean on him in moving the state.
Nine in the fifth place: With sincerity and a heart that gives kindly — no need to ask, supreme good fortune. With sincerity they show kindness to my virtue.
Nine at the top: No one adds to him; someone strikes at him; his resolve is without constancy — misfortune.
The Judgment Commentary says: In Yi (Increase) the upper is decreased to increase the lower, and the people's joy is boundless; from above, bestowing on those below, its way is greatly bright. "It is favorable to have somewhere to go": centered and correct, there is blessing. "It is favorable to cross the great river": thus the way of wood goes forward over the water. Increase moves and yet is gentle; daily it advances without limit. Heaven gives and earth produces: its increase has no fixed bounds. The way of all increase goes forward together with the time.
The Image Commentary says: Wind and thunder: Yi. Thus the noble person, seeing what is good, moves toward it; with a fault, he mends it.
Supreme good fortune, no blame: the one below does not treat the great work as his own.
Someone adds to his gain: it comes from outside.
That increase is used in the work of misfortune: this is inherent in it.
He reports to the duke, who follows: thus the will to increase is furthered.
With sincerity and a kindly heart, no need to ask. That they show kindness to my virtue: his will is greatly attained.
"No one adds to him" — that is only a one-sided saying. "Someone strikes at him" — it comes from outside.
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.
Yi (Increase): It is favorable to have somewhere to go. It is favorable to cross the great river.
Nine at the beginning: It is favorable to undertake a great work. Supreme good fortune. No blame.
Six in the second place: Someone increases it. Even a tortoise worth ten pairs of shells cannot oppose this. Staying the course forever brings good fortune. The king uses this to make an offering to the Supreme Lord. Good fortune.
Six in the third place: Use the increase for difficult events. No blame. Act sincerely and follow the middle way. Report to the duke with a jade tablet.
Six in the fourth place: Follow the middle way; report to the duke and he follows. It is favorable to rely on this when moving the capital.
Nine in the fifth place: There is sincerity and a generous heart. Do not ask: supreme good fortune. There is sincerity in showing kindness to my virtue.
Nine at the top: No one increases him; someone may strike him. Not keeping a steady purpose brings misfortune.
The Judgment Commentary says: Yi (Increase) reduces what is above and increases what is below. The people rejoice without limit. What is above lowers itself to those below; its way shines brightly. It is favorable to have somewhere to go: being centered and right brings blessings. It is favorable to cross the great river: the way of wood can advance. Increase moves and is gentle, making limitless progress each day. Heaven gives and earth produces; their increase has no bounds. Every way of increasing moves with the times.
The Image Commentary says: Wind and thunder: this is Yi (Increase). So when the noble person sees good, he moves toward it; when he has made a mistake, he changes it.
Supreme good fortune and no blame mean that those below should not be burdened with heavy tasks.
Someone increases it: this comes from outside.
Using increase for difficult events means keeping it secure.
Report to the duke and he follows: this increases his resolve.
There is sincerity and a generous heart, so there is no need to ask. Showing kindness to my virtue fully achieves the aim.
“No one increases him” is a one-sided statement. “Someone may strike him” means it comes from outside.