Hexagram 3 of 64
Difficulty at the Beginning屯
Clouds and thunder. The noble person brings order out of tangled threads.
- Upper
- Water
- Lower
- Thunder
- Order
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元亨，利貞。勿用有攸往，利建侯。
Judgment: Great success. Steadiness pays. Do not set out yet. It helps to appoint helpers.
雲雷，屯；君子以經綸。
Image: Clouds and thunder. The noble person brings order out of tangled threads.
In plain words
The situation: A new start, with mess and resistance.
What you can do: Get things in order, find help, and do not rush.
For culture and reflection only. Our own plain summary, not a translation.
The six lines
- 上六乘馬班如，泣血漣如。Horses pulled up in a line. Tears of blood flow.In shortYou feel stuck and deeply upset; pause and stop forcing your way through.
- 九五屯其膏；小貞吉，大貞凶。Holding on to your rich stores. Small steadiness brings good fortune; great steadiness brings misfortune.In shortYour resources are stuck; small steady steps are fine, but forcing big moves goes badly.
- 六四乘馬班如，求婚媾，往，吉无不利。Horses pulled up in a line. Seek the marriage. Going brings good fortune, and nothing fails.In shortWhen you cannot move alone, reach out for a partner; going ahead this way works.
- 六三即鹿无虞，惟入于林中，君子幾不如舍，往吝。Chasing deer with no forester, you only go deeper into the woods. The noble person sees the signs and lets it go. To press on brings regret.In shortGoing in without a guide will get you lost; better to let it go than push on.
- 六二屯如邅如，乘馬班如，匪寇婚媾，女子貞不字，十年乃字。Stuck and turning back, horses pulled up in a line. They are not raiders but suitors. The young woman stays true and does not promise herself; after ten years she does.In shortYou are stuck and hesitant; they are not against you, but this will take a long wait.
- 初九磐桓，利居貞，利建侯。Held back and circling. It helps to stay steady and to appoint helpers.In shortThings will not move yet; hold steady and find reliable people to help.
Sources Zhou Yi. English by TaoDial.