Anonymous (traditionally attributed to King Wen, the Duke of Zhou and Confucius) · Complete work
Hexagram 53 · Jiàn ䷴
Hexagram 53 · Jiàn ䷴ of 69. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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漸：女歸吉，利貞。
初六：鴻漸于干，小子厲，有言，无咎。
六二：鴻漸于磐，飲食衎衎，吉。
九三：鴻漸于陸，夫征不復，婦孕不育，凶；利禦寇。
六四：鴻漸于木，或得其桷，无咎。
九五：鴻漸于陵，婦三歲不孕，終莫之勝，吉。
上九：鴻漸于陸，其羽可用為儀，吉。
彖曰：漸之進也，女歸吉也。進得位，往有功也。進以正，可以正邦也。其位剛，得中也。止而巽，動不窮也。
象曰：山上有木，漸；君子以居賢德，善俗。
小子之厲，義无咎也。
飲食衎衎，不素飽也。
夫征不復，離群丑也。婦孕不育，失其道也。利用禦寇，順相保也。
或得其桷，順以巽也。
終莫之勝，吉；得所愿也。
其羽可用為儀，吉；不可亂也。
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.
Jian (Gradual Progress): A woman's marriage brings good fortune. Steadfastness is favorable.
Six at the beginning: Wild geese gradually reach the riverbank. The young son is in danger; there is talk, but no blame.
Six in the second place: Wild geese gradually reach the rock. Eating and drinking in contentment. Good fortune.
Nine in the third place: Wild geese gradually reach the high ground. A husband goes on campaign and does not return; a wife conceives but does not raise the child. Misfortune. It is favorable to ward off robbers.
Six in the fourth place: Wild geese gradually reach the tree; perhaps they find a level branch. No blame.
Nine in the fifth place: Wild geese gradually reach the hill. For three years the wife does not conceive; in the end nothing can defeat them. Good fortune.
Nine at the top: Wild geese gradually reach the high ground. Their feathers may be used for ceremonial ornament. Good fortune.
The Judgment Commentary says: The advance of Jian means a woman's marriage brings good fortune. Advancing to the fitting place, going forth brings achievement. Advancing uprightly can set the realm right. Its position is firm and holds the center. It rests and is gentle; its movement does not come to an impasse.
The Image Commentary says: Wood upon the mountain: Jian. Thus the noble person abides in worthy virtue and improves customs.
The young son's danger: by right there is no blame.
Eating and drinking in contentment: they are not filled without working for it.
The husband goes on campaign and does not return: he leaves his companions. The wife conceives but does not raise the child: she has lost the way. It is favorable to ward off robbers, protecting one another in obedience.
Perhaps they find a level branch: obedient and gentle.
In the end nothing can defeat them: good fortune, for their wish is fulfilled.
Their feathers may be used for ceremonial ornament: good fortune, for the order cannot be disturbed.
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.
Jian (Gradual Progress): A woman's marriage brings good fortune. Staying the course is favorable.
Six at the beginning: The wild goose gradually reaches the riverbank. The young boy is in danger; people talk. No blame.
Six in the second place: The wild goose gradually reaches a flat rock. Eating and drinking happily brings good fortune.
Nine in the third place: The wild goose gradually reaches dry land. The husband goes on an expedition and does not return. The wife conceives but does not bear a child. Misfortune. It is favorable to defend against robbers.
Six in the fourth place: The wild goose gradually reaches a tree and may find a flat branch to rest on. No blame.
Nine in the fifth place: The wild goose gradually reaches a hill. The wife does not conceive for three years. In the end nothing can defeat her. Good fortune.
Nine at the top: The wild goose gradually reaches the high ground. Its feathers can be used for ceremonial dress. Good fortune.
The Judgment Commentary says: Jian (Gradual Progress) means advancing; that is why the woman's marriage brings good fortune. Advancing into the proper position means going forward accomplishes something. Advancing rightly can set the state right. The position is firm and has reached the middle. It stops and is gentle, so its movement does not come to an end.
The Image Commentary says: Wood grows on a mountain: this is Jian (Gradual Progress). So the noble person maintains worthy conduct and improves customs.
The young boy's danger rightly brings no blame.
Eating and drinking happily does not mean eating without earning it.
The husband goes on an expedition and does not return because he has left his companions. The wife conceives but does not bear a child because she has lost the proper way. Defending against robbers is favorable because people protect one another in harmony.
Finding a flat branch to rest on means following along gently.
In the end nothing can defeat her: good fortune because she gets what she wished for.
Its feathers can be used for ceremonial dress: good fortune, because the proper order cannot be disrupted.