天地不交、上下隔絕、阻塞之卦
Judgment and its commentary
先讀經文，再讀《彖傳》如何解釋卦辭。Read the received text first, then its Tuan commentary.
否之匪人，不利君子貞。大往小來。
否——這不是為人的時節（萬物不通）；君子守正也難有利。 大的（陽）往外退、小的（陰）來到內部。和 11 泰的「小往大來」恰好相反。
(In Pi we see) the want of good understanding between the (different classes of) men, and its indication is unfavourable to the firm and correct course of the superior man. We see in it the great gone and the little come.
「否之匪人，不利君子貞，大往小來」，則是天地不交而萬物不通也，上下不交而天下無邦也。內陰而外陽，內柔而外剛，內小人而外君子。小人道長，君子道消也。
「否：不是為人的時節，不利君子守正，大往小來」——這是天地不相交而萬物不通；上下不相交而天下沒有正常的國家秩序。內卦是陰、外卦是陽；內是柔順、外是剛健；內是小人、外是君子。小人之道在生長、君子之道在消退。
'The want of good understanding between the (different classes of) men in Pi, and its indication as unfavourable to the firm and correct course of the superior man; with the intimation that the great are gone and the little come':—all this indicates that heaven and earth are not in communication with each other, and that all things are not in a state of mutual communication; that the high and the low are not in communication with each other, and that there are no (well-regulated) states under the sky. The inner (trigram) is made up of the weak and divided lines, and the outer of the strong and undivided; the inner is (the symbol of) weakness, and the outer of strength; the inner is (the symbol of) the small man, and the outer of the superior man. Thus the way of the small man appears increasing, and that of the superior man decreasing.
Great Image Commentary
上下卦取象 → 全卦成象 → 人事取法Trigrams → whole image → conduct
天地不交，否
(The trigrams of) heaven and earth, not in communication with each other, form Pi.
君子以儉德辟難，不可榮以祿。
The superior man, in accordance with this, restrains (the manifestation of) his virtue, and avoids the calamities (that threaten him). There is no opportunity of conferring on him the glory of emolument.
天地不相交叫做否——君子仿效，以節儉的德行躲避禍難，不可用富貴顯榮自居。 阻塞之時，收斂、低調、不要追逐名利。
本站導讀，不屬《大象傳》原文；用來預覽本卦六爻由初至上的意象變化。An editorial preview of the six line images, not part of the Great Image Commentary.
拔茅茹，以其彙貞，吉，亨。
拔起茅草、根上連著一片——同類的事物一起守正，吉，通達。 （和 11 泰初九的「以其彙征」對比：泰是同類齊進、否是同類齊守。）
The first SIX, divided, suggests the idea of grass pulled up, and bringing with it other stalks with whose roots it is connected. With firm correctness (on the part of its subject), there will be good fortune and progress.
拔茅貞吉，志在君也。
拔茅守正吉——心志仍向著君（君子之道）。
'The good fortune of pulling up the grass and (the auspice of) firm correctness' arise from the will (of the subject of the line) being bent on (serving) the ruler.
包承，小人吉，大人否，亨。
順從上面的安排——小人因此吉，大人處否之中仍能通達。 小人趁機上位，大人不入其流。
The second SIX, divided, shows its subject patient and obedient. To the small man (comporting himself so) there will be good fortune. If the great man (comport himself) as the distress and obstruction require, he will have success.
大人否亨，不亂群也。
大人處否仍通——是因為不混入小人之群。
'The great man, in the midst of the distress and obstruction, comes to have success:'—he does not allow himself to be embarrassed by the herd (of small men around him).
包羞。
包藏羞恥——做了不該做的事，自知慚愧。否之中失位的徵象。
The third SIX, divided, shows its subject ashamed of the purpose folded (in his breast).
包羞，位不當也。
包藏羞恥——位置不當的緣故。
'He is ashamed of the purpose folded (in his breast):'—the place is not the proper one for him.
有命无咎，疇離祉。
有上面的命令降下、無咎；同類的人也分享這份福祉。 否之中君子開始從上面受命行動。
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject acting in accordance with the ordination (of Heaven), and committing no error. His companions will come and share in his happiness.
有命无咎，志行也。
有命無咎——是志向能行得通了。
'He acts in accordance with the ordination (of Heaven), and commits no error:'—his purpose has fit opportunity.
休否，大人吉。其亡其亡，繫于苞桑。
止息否運——大人吉。常常想著「快要失去、快要失去」，把希望繫在叢生的桑樹根上（最堅韌的地方）。 否將近終，警覺者自救。
In the fifth NINE, undivided, we see him who brings the distress and obstruction to an end,—the great man and fortunate. (But let him say), 'We may perish! we may perish!' (so shall the state of things become firm, as if) bound to a clump of bushy mulberry trees.
大人之吉，位正當也。
大人之吉——是因為位置正當。
'The good fortune of the great man' arises from the correctness of his position.
傾否，先否後喜。
傾覆否運——先否後喜。否到極處就會翻轉，這是上九的位置。
The topmost NINE, undivided, shows the overthrow (and removal of) the condition of distress and obstruction. Before this there was that condition. Hereafter there will be joy.
否終則傾，何可長也。
否走到終點就翻覆——怎麼可能長久持續否？
'The condition of distress and obstruction having continued to the end, it is overthrown:'—how could it be prolonged?
Blocked, stagnant, refused-to-meet. (Pronounced 'pǐ' in this hexagram name, NOT 'fǒu' the negation.) Image: yang above, yin below — they sit but don't interact.
Not for/of men. Translates roughly as 'not a human-friendly era' — conditions in which human relations don't function properly.
Inverse of Tai's 小往大來. The great recedes; the small advances. Cycle position: late summer / early autumn.
A clump of mulberry roots — the most tenacious anchor available. Line 5: tie hope here while saying 'we might perish.'
To tip over, overthrow. Line 6's signature word: when blockage reaches its end, the structure tips — and the cycle resumes.
