Hexagram 24 · ䷗

Return

復 · Fù

Upper Earth 坤Lower Thunder 震

The Judgment · 卦辭

亨。出入无疾，朋來无咎。反復其道，七日來復，利有攸往。

Fû indicates that there will be free course and progress (in what it denotes). (The subject of it) finds no one to distress him in his exits and entrances; friends come to him, and no error is committed . He will return and repeat his (proper) course. In seven days comes his return. There will be advantage in whatever direction movement is made.

The Image · 大象

雷在地中，復；先王以至日閉關，商旅不行，后不省方。

(The trigram representing) the earth and that for thunder in the midst of it form Fû. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, on the day. of the (winter) solstice, shut the gates of the passes (from one state to another), so that the travelling merchants could not (then) pursue their journeys, nor the princes go on with the inspection of their states.

Plain-English Meaning

Return. After a low point, the light comes back; begin again gently and naturally.

The Judgment

Return brings success; going and coming without harm, the turning point arrives in its own time.

The Image

Like thunder resting deep within the earth, give the new beginning quiet and rest.

Editorial summary written for this site; not a translation.

The Lines · 爻辭

初九 · Line 1
不遠復，无祇悔，元吉。
The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject returning (from an error) of no great extent, which would not proceed to anything requiring repentance. There will be great good fortune.
象曰：不遠之復，以修身也。
六二 · Line 2
休復，吉。
The second SIX, divided, shows the admirable return (of its subject). There will be good fortune.
象曰：休復之吉，以下仁也。
六三 · Line 3
頻復，厲无咎。
The third SIX, divided, shows one who has made repeated returns. The position is perilous, but there will be no error.
象曰：頻復之厲，義无咎也。
六四 · Line 4
中行獨復。
The fourth SIX, divided, shows its subject moving right in the centre (among those represented by the other divided lines), and yet returning alone (to his proper path).
象曰：中行獨復，以從道也。
六五 · Line 5
敦復，无悔。
The fifth SIX, divided, shows the noble return of its subject. There will be no ground for repentance.
象曰：敦復无悔，中以自考也。
上六 · Line 6
迷復，凶，有災眚。用行師，終有大敗，以其國君，凶；至于十年，不克征。
The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject all astray on the subject of returning. There will be evil. There will be calamities and errors. If with his views he put the hosts in motion, the end will be a great defeat, whose issues will extend to the ruler of the state. Even in ten years he will not be able to repair the disaster.
象曰：迷復之凶，反君道也。

English: James Legge (1882), public domain · Text · Image (Appendix II), sacred-texts.com.

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