29䷜坎 Dangerous Waters Kǎn

☵水🌊 Water
☵水🌊 Water

水洊至,習坎; 君子以常德行,習教事。

Water flowing continuously: Dangerous Waters. Superior people constantly maintain the virtue of their heart & the sincerity of their conduct. They practice the business of instruction.

坎: 習坎,有孚, 維心亨,行有尚。

Dangerous Waters: If you are sincere, you have success in your heart. There is excellence in practice.

Line 6

係用徽纆, 寘于叢棘, 三歲不得,凶。

Bound with rope & put in a briar patch, helpless for three years; misfortune.

Line 5

坎不盈,祗既平, 无咎。

The waters do not overflow; they’re only filled to the brim. No blame.

Line 4

樽酒簋貳,用缶, 納約自牖,終无咎。

A jug of wine & two bowls of food passed through the window. Finally, no blame.

Line 3

來之坎坎,險且枕, 入于坎窞,勿用。

Back & forth, abyss upon abyss. In danger like this, pause & wait, otherwise you will fall into a pit. Do not act in this way.

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坎有險,求小得。

Danger in a pitfall. One finds a small gain.

Line 1

習坎, 入于坎窞,凶。

Water flows repeatedly. One falls into a pit. Misfortune.