陽退讓、退守、隱居之卦
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.
遯：亨，小利貞。
遯——通達；小事守正有利。 二陰從下升起，陽已退讓，但還沒到阻塞。隱居 / 退守是此時通達之道；大事不宜進，小事仍可守正。
Dun indicates successful progress (in its circumstances). To a small extent it will (still) be advantageous to be firm and correct.
「遯亨」，遯而亨也；剛當位而應，與時行也。「小利貞」，浸而長也。遯之時義大矣哉！
「遯亨」—退而通。剛居正位而與下相應，是隨時而行。「小利貞」—陰在浸潤上升。遯之時機與意義何其大啊！
'Dun indicates successful progress:'—that is, in the very retiring which Dun denotes there is such progress. The strong (line) is in the ruling place, (the fifth), and is properly responded to (by the second line). The action takes place according to the requirement of the time. 'To a small extent it will (still) be advantageous to be firm and correct:'—(the small men) are gradually encroaching and advancing. Great indeed is the significance of (what is required to be done in) the time of Dun.
Great Image Commentary
上下卦取象 → 全卦成象 → 人事取法Trigrams → whole image → conduct
天下有山，遯
(The trigrams for) heaven above and a mountain rising up below it form Dun.
君子以遠小人，不惡而嚴。
The superior man, in accordance with this, keeps small men at a distance, not by showing that he hates them, but by his own dignified gravity.
天之下有山—遯的圖象。君子仿此—遠離小人，不表現出厭惡但保持嚴肅。 （天在上退後的樣子而山在下接近它—距離拉開但不衝突。遠而不惡是退隱的智慧。）
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.
遯尾，厲，勿用有攸往。
退在尾巴上—危險，不要有所行動。 初六在退之末端，已經退不動了。此時動反增險。
The first SIX, divided, shows a retiring tail. The position is perilous. No movement in any direction should be made.
遯尾之厲，不往何災也。
退之末端之險—不動就沒災。
'There is the perilousness of the position shown by the retiring tail:'—but if no movement be made, what disaster can there be?
執之用黃牛之革，莫之勝說。
用黃牛皮繩牢牢拴住—沒人能解開。 六二與九五相應，緊緊結合不可分離。在退的大趨勢中仍緊守自己該守的連結。
The second SIX, divided, shows its subject holding (his purpose) fast as if by a (thong made from the) hide of a yellow ox, which cannot be broken.
執用黃牛，固志也。
用黃牛皮拴—是堅固心志。
'He holds it as by (a thong from) the hide of a yellow ox':—his purpose is firm.
係遯，有疾厲，畜臣妾吉。
退而心中有牽掛—有病般的危險；不過養臣僕 / 家人的事上是吉。 退而不純，難處是有私情牽絆。
The third NINE, undivided, shows one retiring but bound,—to his distress and peril. (If he were to deal with his binders as in) nourishing a servant or concubine, it would be fortunate for him.
係遯之厲，有疾憊也；畜臣妾吉，不可大事也。
係遯之危—像有疾般疲憊。養臣妾吉—但不能做大事。
'The peril connected with the case of one retiring but bound' is due to the (consequent) distress and exhaustion. '(If he were to deal with his binders) as in nourishing a servant or concubine, it would be fortunate for him':—but he could not do great things with such (entanglements).
好遯，君子吉，小人否。
願意退—君子吉，小人不行。 君子識大局而退；小人不願退反致凶。
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject retiring notwithstanding his likings. In a superior man this will lead to good fortune; a small man cannot attain to this.
君子好遯，小人否也。
君子願退—小人不願。
'A superior man retires notwithstanding his likings; a small man cannot attain to this.'
嘉遯，貞吉。
美好地退—守正則吉。 九五是君位的退，退得美好而不失體面。
The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject retiring in an admirable way. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.
嘉遯貞吉，以正志也。
嘉遯守正之吉—是因為心志正。
'He retires in an admirable way; through his firm correctness there is good fortune':—this is due to the rectitude of his purpose.
肥遯，无不利。
從容富餘地退—無不利。 上九在卦之終，退得最透徹 / 最自在。
The topmost NINE, undivided, shows its subject retiring in a noble way. It will be advantageous in every respect.
肥遯无不利，无所疑也。
肥遯無不利—沒有疑慮。
'Retiring in a noble way; in every respect it will be advantageous':—there is nothing to throw doubt on the course.
Retreat, flee, withdraw, hide. Same character as 遁. The image of orderly stepping back rather than panicked flight.
Tail, end. Line 1's '遯尾' = retreating from the rear, dangerous because there's nowhere left to retreat to.
Yellow ox. The hide of a yellow ox = the strongest leather, in classical metaphor. '黃牛之革' = an unbreakable bond.
To bind, tie, attach. Line 3's character — 'retreating but bound' — when retreat is right but personal attachments hold you in place.
Admirable, beautiful, exemplary. Line 5's '嘉遯' = a retreat done with grace; preserving dignity in withdrawal.
Plump, abundant. Line 6's '肥遯' — not 'fat retreat' but 'amply, abundantly' — retreat with full resources, no doubt, no regret.
