I Ching 易經
The 64 Hexagrams / 41
Hexagram 41 · ䷨

Decrease

損 · Sǔn
Upper Mountain 艮Lower Lake 兌

The Judgment · 卦辭

有孚,元吉。无咎,可貞,利有攸往。曷之用?二簋可用享。
In (what is denoted by) Sun, if there be sincerity (in him who employs it), there will be great good fortune:--freedom from error; firmness and correctness that can be maintained; and advantage in every movement that shall be made. In what shall this (sincerity in the exercise of Sun) be employed? (Even) in sacrifice two baskets of grain, (though there be nothing else), may be presented.

The Image · 大象

山下有澤,損;君子以懲忿窒欲。
(The trigram representing) a mountain and beneath it that for the waters of a marsh form Sun. The superior man, in accordance with this, restrains his wrath and represses his desires.
Plain-English Meaning

Decrease. Simplify and give up what is unnecessary; sincere sacrifice can bring growth.

The Judgment

Decrease with sincerity brings good fortune; even simple offerings are enough.

The Image

Like a lake below a mountain, restrain anger and curb desires.
Editorial summary written for this site; not a translation.
The Lines · 爻辭
English: James Legge (1882), public domain · Text · Image (Appendix II), sacred-texts.com.
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