Enveloping (4)
6
2
The Judgement
YOUTHFUL FOLLY has success.It is not I who seek the young fool;
The young fool seeks me.
At the first oracle I inform him.
If he asks two or three times, it is importunity.
If he importunes, I give him no information.
Perseverance furthers.
The Image
A spring wells up at the foot of the mountain:The image of YOUTH.
Thus the superior man fosters his character
By thoroughness in all that he does.
Line Poems
- 6 - In punishing folly It does not further one To commit transgressions. The only thing that furthers Is to prevent transgressions.
- 5 - Childlike folly brings good fortune.
- 4 - Entangled folly bring humiliation.
- 3 - Take not a maiden who, when she sees a man of bronze, Loses possession of herself. Nothing furthers.
- 2 - To bear with fools in kindliness brings good fortune. To know how to take women Brings good fortune. The son is capable of taking charge of the household.
- 1 - To make a fool develop It furthers one to apply discipline. The fetters should be removed. To go on in this way brings humiliation.
Commentary
In this hexagram we are reminded of youth and folly in two different ways.The image of the upper trigram, Kên, is the mountain, that of the lower, K’an, is water; the spring rising at the foot of the mountain is the image of inexperienced youth.
Keeping still is the attribute of the upper trigram; that of the lower is the abyss, danger.
Stopping in perplexity on the brink of a dangerous abyss is a symbol of the folly of youth.
However, the two trigrams also show the way of overcoming the follies of youth.
Water is something that of necessity flows on.
When the spring gushes forth, it does not know at first where it will go.
But its steady flow fills up the deep place blocking its progress, and success is attained.
