蒙
Méng · Youthful Folly
Not knowing is the beginning; asking well is the whole method.
The judgment
蒙：亨。 匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我。 初噬告，再三瀆，瀆則不告。利貞。
Youthful folly. Success. I do not seek the young fool; the young fool seeks me. The first inquiry is answered; repeated questions are disrespectful and get no answer. Perseverance furthers.
Received text; plain English after the Chinese. Source: 周易經傳 (public-domain). Passage: hex04.judgment.
The image
象曰：山下出泉，蒙。君子以果行育德。
A spring comes out from under the mountain. A capable person acts decisively and cultivates character.
Received text; plain English after the Chinese. Source: 周易經傳 (public-domain). Passage: hex04.image.
Ask once, honestly, and be willing to be taught.
The six lines
Each line is a stage, from the bottom of the hexagram to the top. Open any line to read it in plain English.
初六 發蒙，利用刑人，用說桎梏，以往吝。 To teach the beginner, rules and consequences help at first. Once the restraints are off, pushing further brings regret.
To teach the beginner, rules and consequences help at first. Once the restraints are off, pushing further brings regret.
九二 包蒙吉，納婦吉，子克家。 Be patient with the ignorant and take them in. This is the line of someone who can hold a household together.
Be patient with the ignorant and take them in. This is the line of someone who can hold a household together.
六三 勿用娶女，見金夫，不有躬，無攸利。 Do not take this match. She sees the rich man and loses herself; nothing good comes of it.
Do not take this match. She sees the rich man and loses herself; nothing good comes of it.
六四 困蒙，吝。 Stuck in ignorance with no one to learn from. This is a lonely place, and it costs you.
Stuck in ignorance with no one to learn from. This is a lonely place, and it costs you.
六五 童蒙，吉。 The honest beginner, willing to ask, is lucky. Not knowing yet is not a defect.
The honest beginner, willing to ask, is lucky. Not knowing yet is not a defect.
上九 擊蒙，不利為寇，利御寇。 Discipline the ignorant, but do not become the attacker. Defend the boundary; do not go hunting.
Discipline the ignorant, but do not become the attacker. Defend the boundary; do not go hunting.