姤
Gòu · Coming to Meet
What arrives uninvited must be met early, before it settles in.
The judgment
姤：女壯，勿用取女。
Coming to meet. The woman is strong; do not marry this one. Something has arrived uninvited, and it is stronger than it looks.
Received text; plain English after the Chinese. Source: 周易經傳 (public-domain). Passage: hex44.judgment.
The image
象曰：天下有風，姤。後以施命誥四方。
Wind under heaven: coming to meet. The ruler sends out orders and announces them to the four directions.
Received text; plain English after the Chinese. Source: 周易經傳 (public-domain). Passage: hex44.image.
What arrives uninvited must be met early, before it settles in.
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 系于金柅，貞吉，有攸往，見凶，羸豕孚踟躅。 Tie it to a metal brake. Stay true and it is lucky; to go forward is to meet misfortune. The lean pig is already restless.
Tie it to a metal brake. Stay true and it is lucky; to go forward is to meet misfortune. The lean pig is already restless.
九二 包有魚，無咎，不利賓。 There is fish in the wrapper. No blame, but do not offer it to guests: keep this contained.
There is fish in the wrapper. No blame, but do not offer it to guests: keep this contained.
九三 臀無膚，其行次且，厲，無大咎。 No skin on the buttocks; walking is halting. Dangerous, but no great blame.
No skin on the buttocks; walking is halting. Dangerous, but no great blame.
九四 包無魚，起凶。 No fish in the wrapper. Misfortune rises: what should have been contained is gone.
No fish in the wrapper. Misfortune rises: what should have been contained is gone.
九五 以杞包瓜，含章，有隕自天。 Wrap the melon in willow leaves. Keep the pattern inside; something falls from heaven.
Wrap the melon in willow leaves. Keep the pattern inside; something falls from heaven.
上九 姤 其角，吝，無咎。 Meeting at the horns: regret, but no blame. You meet it at the hardest point, head on.
Meeting at the horns: regret, but no blame. You meet it at the hardest point, head on.