湯武革命，順天應人
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.
革：己日乃孚，元亨利貞，悔亡。
革卦——到了「己日」（時機成熟）才能取得信任。大亨通，利於守正，悔消失。革之大事必待時、必有信、必持正。
(What takes place as indicated by) Ge is believed in only after it has been accomplished. There will be great progress and success. Advantage will come from being firm and correct. (In that case) occasion for repentance will disappear.
革，水火相息，二女同居，其志不相得，曰革。己日乃孚，革而信之；文明以說，大亨以正，革而當，其悔乃亡。天地革而四時成，湯武革命，順乎天而應乎人，革之時大矣哉！
革卦：水（兌）與火（離）相熄滅，二女同居志向不合，所以為革。「己日乃孚」是說革而能取信於人；文明（離）而悅（兌），大亨而以正道，革之得當則悔消。天地相革而成四時，湯武革命順天應人——革的時機真大啊！
In Ge we have water and fire extinguishing each other; (we have, also, as it were,) two daughters dwelling together, but with their minds directed to different objects — these conditions are what is called Ge. Tang and Wu changed the appointment of dynasty in accordance with (the will of) Heaven, and in response to (the wishes of) men. Great indeed is what is done in this time of Ge.
Great Image Commentary
上下卦取象 → 全卦成象 → 人事取法Trigrams → whole image → conduct
澤中有火，革
(The trigram representing) a marsh with fire in the midst of it forms Ge.
君子以治曆明時。
The superior man, in accordance with this, regulates his (astronomical) calculations, and makes clear the seasons and times.
澤中有火——革之象。君子由此體會：治理曆法、明察時機，是革之本。
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.
鞏用黃牛之革。
用黃牛皮緊緊包裹（不可妄動）——剛起步就要革，必須極為穩固才行。
The first NINE shows one (as if) bound with the skin of a yellow ox.
鞏用黃牛，不可以有為也。
用黃牛皮捆住，是說此時不可以有作為。
己日乃革之，征吉，無咎。
到了己日才革——前進吉，無咎。柔得中位、待時而動。
The second SIX shows one making his changes after some time has passed. Action taken will be fortunate. There will be no error.
己日革之，行有嘉也。
己日乃革，行則有嘉慶。
征凶，貞厲，革言三就，有孚。
前進凶，守此有險——但若革命之言反復三次成熟，則有信實。革大事須三度確認方可。
The third NINE shows that action taken will be evil. Though he be firm and correct, his position is perilous. If the change he contemplates have been three times fully discussed, he will be believed in.
革言三就，又何之矣。
革之言已三度成熟，還等甚麼？
悔亡，有孚改命，吉。
悔消失，有誠信而改命——吉。剛在中陽位、得位而能改舊立新。
The fourth NINE shows occasion for repentance disappearing. Let its subject be believed in; and though he change (existing) ordinances, there will be good fortune.
改命之吉，信志也。
改命之吉，是因為志向誠信。
大人虎變，未占有孚。
大人物如虎一般變化——不必占卜就知有信。剛健中正之主，革之大成。
The fifth NINE shows the great man producing his changes as the tiger does when he changes (his stripes). Before he divines (and proceeds to action), faith has been reposed in him.
大人虎變，其文炳也。
大人虎變，是文采炳然。
君子豹變，小人革面，征凶，居貞吉。
君子如豹一般變化（次於虎），小人僅僅改變面容——進取凶，守正居安則吉。革之終須收。
The topmost SIX shows the superior man producing his changes as the leopard (does when he changes his spots), while small men change their faces (to those whom they follow). Any further movement to the front will lead to evil. He should remain firm and correct, and there will be good fortune.
君子豹變，其文蔚也。小人革面，順以從君也。
君子豹變是文采蔚然。小人革面是順從君主。
To change, to strip away. Original sense: an animal hide with the hair removed — transformation down to the raw material.
Sincerity, good faith — the inner trustworthiness that makes others believe.
The sixth day of the ten-day stem cycle; figuratively, the moment when the time is ripe.
To bind tight, to make fast — holding firm before any move.
To ripen, to come to completion — here, of deliberations reaching maturity.
Brilliant, strikingly clear — of the tiger's markings after transformation.
Richly patterned, luxuriant — of the leopard's markings; finer-grained than the tiger's blaze.
The calendar — the chart of seasons and times, the king's instrument for reading the moment.
