Anonymous (traditionally attributed to King Wen, the Duke of Zhou and Confucius) · Complete work
Hexagram 7 · Shī ䷆
Hexagram 7 · Shī ䷆ of 69. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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師：貞丈人吉，无咎。
初六：師出以律，否臧，凶。
九二：在師中吉，无咎；王三錫命。
六三：師或輿尸，凶。
六四：師左次，无咎。
六五：田有禽，利執言，无咎。長子帥師，弟子輿尸，貞凶。
上六：大君有命，開國承家，小人勿用。
彖曰：師，眾也。貞，正也。能以眾正，可以王矣。剛中而應，行險而順，以此毒天下，而民從之，吉又何咎矣。
象曰：地中有水，師；君子以容民畜衆。
師出以律；失律，凶也。
在師中吉，承天寵也。王三錫命，懷萬邦也。
師或輿尸，大无功也。
左次无咎，未失常也。
長子帥師，以中行也。弟子輿尸，使不當也。
大君有命，以正功也。小人勿用，必亂邦也。
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 (The Army): Steadfastness under a seasoned leader brings good fortune and no blame.
Six at the beginning: An army sets forth under discipline. If discipline is poor, misfortune.
Nine in the second place: In the midst of the army, good fortune and no blame. The king grants the mandate three times.
Six in the third place: Perhaps the army carries corpses in wagons. Misfortune.
Six in the fourth place: The army camps to the left. No blame.
Six in the fifth place: There is game in the field. It is favorable to capture it, and to speak out. No blame. The eldest son commands the army; younger sons carry corpses in wagons. Steadfastness brings misfortune.
Six at the top: The great ruler issues a mandate, founding states and granting households. Do not employ petty persons.
The Judgment Commentary says: Shi means a multitude. Steadfastness means uprightness. One who can make a multitude upright may rule as king. Firmness at the center receives a response; it moves through danger with obedience. Though it brings suffering to all under heaven, the people follow it. Good fortune: what blame could there be?
The Image Commentary says: Water within the earth: Shi. Thus the noble person embraces the people and gathers the multitude.
The army sets forth under discipline; losing discipline brings misfortune.
Good fortune in the midst of the army: he receives heaven's favor. The king grants the mandate three times, embracing the myriad states.
An army carrying corpses in wagons has achieved nothing great.
Camping to the left without blame: the usual order is not lost.
The eldest son commands the army, acting from the center. Younger sons carry corpses: their appointment was not fitting.
The great ruler issues a mandate to reward achievement properly. Do not employ petty persons: they would bring disorder to the state.
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 (The Army): Staying steady under an experienced leader brings good fortune and no blame.
Six at the beginning: The army must go out under discipline. If discipline is not maintained, there is misfortune.
Nine in the second place: Being at the center of the army brings good fortune and no blame. The king grants a command three times.
Six in the third place: Perhaps the army carries corpses. Misfortune.
Six in the fourth place: The army withdraws to camp. No blame.
Six in the fifth place: There is game in the fields. It is favorable to speak out and capture it. No blame. If the eldest son leads the army but a younger son carries corpses home, even staying steady brings misfortune.
Six at the top: The great ruler gives commands, founding states and granting hereditary households. Do not employ petty people.
The Judgment Commentary says: Shi means a crowd. Staying steady means being upright. Whoever can keep a crowd upright can be king. The firm line is central and receives a response. It acts in danger yet follows willingly. Though this brings hardship to the world, the people follow it; there is good fortune, so how could there be blame?
The Image Commentary says: Water is within the earth: this is Shi. The noble person therefore cares for the people and gathers a large following.
The army goes out under discipline. If it loses discipline, there is misfortune.
Good fortune at the center of the army comes from receiving heaven's favor. The king grants a command three times because he cares for all the states.
If the army carries corpses, it achieves nothing important.
Withdrawing to camp brings no blame because it does not violate the usual practice.
The eldest son leads the army because he acts with balance. The younger son carries corpses because he was wrongly given the command.
The great ruler gives commands to reward achievements properly. Do not employ petty people, because they would surely throw the state into disorder.