Anonymous (traditionally attributed to King Wen, the Duke of Zhou and Confucius) · Complete work
Hexagram 8 · Bǐ ䷇
Hexagram 8 · Bǐ ䷇ of 69. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Classical Chinese
比：吉。原筮元永貞，无咎。不寧方來，後夫凶。
初六：有孚，比之，无咎。有孚盈缶，終來有它，吉。
六二：比之自內，貞吉。
六三：比之匪人。
六四：外比之，貞吉。
九五：顯比。王用三敺，失前禽，邑人不誡，吉。
上六：比之无首，凶。
彖曰：比，吉也。比，輔也，下順從也。原筮，元永貞，无咎，以剛中也。不寧方來，上下應也。後夫凶，其道窮也。
象曰：地上有水，比；先王以建萬國，親諸侯。
比之初六，有它吉也。
比之自內，不自失也。
比之匪人，不亦傷乎！
外比於賢，以從上也。
顯比之吉，位正中也。舍逆取順，失前禽也。邑人不誡，上使中也。
比之无首，无所終也。
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.
Bi (Holding Together): Good fortune. Consult the oracle again: supreme and lasting steadfastness brings no blame. Those who are restless come from every quarter; misfortune for the one who comes last.
Six at the beginning: Join with others in sincerity: no blame. Sincerity fills an earthen jar; in the end something more comes. Good fortune.
Six in the second place: Join from within. Steadfastness brings good fortune.
Six in the third place: Joining with the wrong people.
Six in the fourth place: Join with those outside. Steadfastness brings good fortune.
Nine in the fifth place: Joining openly. The king drives game from three sides and lets the animals ahead escape; the people of the town are not warned. Good fortune.
Six at the top: Joining without a head. Misfortune.
The Judgment Commentary says: Bi means good fortune. Joining means mutual support; those below obediently follow. Consult the oracle again: supreme, lasting steadfastness brings no blame, for firmness holds the center. The restless come from every quarter because above and below respond to each other. Misfortune for the latecomer: his way has reached its end.
The Image Commentary says: Water upon the earth: Bi. Thus the former kings established myriad states and drew close to their lords.
The beginning six joins with others; something more comes with good fortune.
Joining from within means not losing oneself.
Joining with the wrong people: is this not a wound?
Joining with worthy people outside means following those above.
The good fortune of joining openly: its position is upright and central. Letting the contrary go and taking those who follow means allowing the game ahead to escape. The townspeople are not warned, for those above command with moderation.
Joining without a head: there can be no completion.
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.
Bi (Joining Together): Good fortune. Consult the oracle again: supreme and lasting steadiness brings no blame. Those who are uneasy come together. Whoever arrives late meets misfortune.
Six at the beginning: Join with others in sincerity. No blame. Sincerity fills an earthen jar. In the end, something else comes too: good fortune.
Six in the second place: Join with others from within. Staying steady brings good fortune.
Six in the third place: Joining with the wrong people.
Six in the fourth place: Join with those outside. Staying steady brings good fortune.
Nine in the fifth place: An open joining. The king drives game from three sides and lets the animals in front escape. The townspeople need no warning. Good fortune.
Six at the top: Joining together without a leader. Misfortune.
The Judgment Commentary says: Bi means good fortune. Bi means helping one another, and those below willingly follow. Consult the oracle again: supreme and lasting steadiness brings no blame because the firm line is central. The uneasy come together because above and below respond to one another. Whoever arrives late meets misfortune because the way forward is blocked.
The Image Commentary says: Water lies on the earth: this is Bi. Former kings therefore established the many states and drew close to their regional rulers.
Joining together at the six at the beginning brings further good fortune.
Joining from within means not losing oneself.
Joining with the wrong people—isn't that hurtful?
Joining with capable people outside means following those above.
The good fortune of open joining comes because the position is properly centered. Letting those moving away go and accepting those who come willingly is why the game in front escapes. The townspeople need no warning because their superior acts with balance.
Joining without a leader leaves no way to reach a proper end.