噬嗑
Shì Kè · Biting Through
Some obstacles are not negotiated with; they are bitten through.
The judgment
噬嗑：亨。 利用獄。
Biting through succeeds. It is favorable to use the law: something is stuck between the teeth and must be bitten through.
Received text; plain English after the Chinese. Source: 周易經傳 (public-domain). Passage: hex21.judgment.
The image
象曰：雷電噬嗑，先王以明罰敕法。
Thunder and lightning: biting through. The old kings made punishments clear and the law firm.
Received text; plain English after the Chinese. Source: 周易經傳 (public-domain). Passage: hex21.image.
Some obstacles are not negotiated with; they are bitten through.
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.
初九 履校滅趾，無咎。 A wooden stock over the feet, toes hidden. No blame: early punishment stops a small fault from growing.
A wooden stock over the feet, toes hidden. No blame: early punishment stops a small fault from growing.
六二 噬膚滅鼻，無咎。 Biting soft meat and going in up to the nose. No blame: the problem is soft and you are thorough.
Biting soft meat and going in up to the nose. No blame: the problem is soft and you are thorough.
六三 噬臘肉，遇毒﹔小吝，無咎。 Biting dried meat and hitting poison. Small regret, no blame: old hardened problems have a sting.
Biting dried meat and hitting poison. Small regret, no blame: old hardened problems have a sting.
九四 噬乾胏，得金矢，利艱貞，吉。 Biting dried bone and finding a metal arrowhead. It is fit to stay true through hardship: good fortune.
Biting dried bone and finding a metal arrowhead. It is fit to stay true through hardship: good fortune.
六五 噬乾肉，得黃金，貞厲，無咎。 Biting dried meat and finding gold. Stay true though it is dangerous: no blame.
Biting dried meat and finding gold. Stay true though it is dangerous: no blame.
上九 何校滅耳，凶。 A stock so heavy it covers the ears. Misfortune: the punishment has gone past correction.
A stock so heavy it covers the ears. Misfortune: the punishment has gone past correction.