Hexagram 8 · 第 8 卦

比

Bi · Holding Together (Water over Earth)

原筮元永貞，先王建萬國

上卦upper 坎 ☵ · 水 / Water下卦lower 坤 ☷ · 地 / Earth
錯卦把每一爻都翻轉（陽↔陰）後得到的另一卦。The inverse-line hexagram: every line flipped.Opposite
第 14 卦 大有
綜卦把整個卦上下顛倒後得到的另一卦。The reversed hexagram: flipped top-to-bottom.Inverse
第 7 卦 師
互卦由原卦二、三、四爻 + 三、四、五爻組成的中間卦。The nuclear hexagram: built from lines 2-3-4 and 3-4-5 of the original.Nuclear
第 23 卦 剝

卦辭與彖傳

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.

經
卦辭對整個卦（六條線為一組）的總體判斷。The judgment on the hexagram as a whole.
Judgment

比：吉。原筮元永貞，無咎。不寧方來，後夫凶。

比卦——吉。再次卜問若得「元永貞」（大、永、正）三德——無咎。不安寧之邦來歸附，遲到的人凶。聚合之事須有德，且須及時。

Bi indicates that (under the conditions which it supposes) there is good fortune. But let (the party intended) re-examine himself, (as if) divining whether his virtue be great, unintermitting, and firm. If it be so, there will be no error. Those who have not rest will then come to him; and with those who are (too) late in coming it will be ill.

James Legge · 1899
傳
彖傳十翼之一，直接解釋卦名、卦辭及其剛柔結構。Tuan Zhuan — commentary explaining the name, Judgment, and line structure.
Commentary on the Judgment

比，吉也；比，輔也，下順從也。原筮元永貞，無咎，以剛中也。不寧方來，上下應也。後夫凶，其道窮也。

比，吉。比即輔——下方順從。「原筮元永貞無咎」是因為剛在中位（九五）。「不寧方來」是上下相應之故。「後夫凶」是因為道路已窮。

Bi indicates good fortune. Bi means assisting; the inferiors are in obedience to the superior. The strong is in the central (ruling) place; he who comes late finds himself with no resource.

James Legge · 1899

大象傳《大象傳》從上下卦的自然圖像推演全卦之象，再提出人事取法。它不是《彖傳》的續文。The Great Image derives conduct from the two trigrams' natural images; it is not a continuation of the Tuan.

Great Image Commentary

上下卦取象 → 全卦成象 → 人事取法Trigrams → whole image → conduct

上下卦Trigrams
☵坎 · 水Upper · Water
☷坤 · 地Lower · Earth
全卦成象Whole image

地上有水，比

(The trigram representing) the earth, and over it that for water, form Bi.

人事取法Conduct

先王以建萬國，親諸侯。

The ancient kings, in accordance with this, established the various states and maintained an affectionate relation to their princes.

地上有水——比之象。先王由此體會：建立萬國（封建諸侯），親近諸侯。聚合是政治結構之根本。

James Legge · 1899
六爻意象導覽Six-line image guide
由六爻爻辭整理 · 點選可跳至原文 · Editorial guide · select a stage to read the line

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.

中性位neutral主爻 · 青灰ruling line過盈之爻 · 朱砂overshot
爻辭針對單獨一條線的判斷，每卦有六條。閱讀次序：初爻 → 上爻。卦象本身則由下而上排列。Line statements — one per line, six per hexagram. Reading order is 初 → 上 (top to bottom on the page). The hexagram itself is drawn bottom-up — see the rail.
Line statements · 初 → 上 · reading order
小象十翼之一。對每一條爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on each line. inline beneath each line
初六
Line 1 · 第 1 爻 · yin陰

有孚比之，無咎。有孚盈缶，終來有他吉。

有誠信而比附——無咎。誠信滿溢如缶器之滿，最終會有意外的吉慶。

The first SIX shows its subject seeking by his sincerity to win the attachment of his object. There will be no error. Let (the breast) be full of sincerity as an earthenware vessel is of its contents, and it will in the end bring other advantages.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

比之初六，有他吉也。

比之初爻，有意外的吉。

六二
Line 2 · 第 2 爻 · yin陰

比之自內，貞吉。

從內部來比附——守正則吉。柔得中位、誠心歸附，是真正的內合。

The second SIX shows its subject seeking the attachment from within. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

比之自內，不自失也。

從內部比附，是不失自我。

六三
Line 3 · 第 3 爻 · yin陰

比之匪人。

比附了不該比的人——所應非人。陰柔不正，所求非正。

The third SIX shows its subject seeking for attachment with such as ought not to be associated with.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

比之匪人，不亦傷乎！

比附非人，不也是傷害嗎？

六四
Line 4 · 第 4 爻 · yin陰

外比之，貞吉。

從外部來比附（依附九五）——守正則吉。柔得位、外向求合於賢，是恰當之比。

The fourth SIX shows its subject seeking for the attachment of one beyond himself. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

外比於賢，以從上也。

外比於賢者，是順從上位。

九五
Line 5 · 第 5 爻 · yang陽

顯比，王用三驅，失前禽，邑人不誡，吉。

光明正大地比附——君王田獵時用三驅之禮，故意放走前面的禽（不趕盡殺絕），邑民也不驚警——吉。陽剛中正，王者之比。

The fifth NINE shows the most illustrious instance of seeking by the display of one's attractions to obtain the attachment of others. (We see in it) the king urging his pursuit of the game (only) in three directions, and allowing the escape of all the animals before him, while the people of his towns do not warn one another (to prevent it). There will be good fortune.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

顯比之吉，位正中也。舍逆取順，失前禽也。邑人不誡，上使中也。

顯比之吉是位正中。舍逆取順，故失前禽。邑人不誡，是上位使行於中道。

上六
Line 6 · 第 6 爻 · yin陰

比之無首，凶。

比附時沒有「首」（即無原則、無首領）——凶。聚合到末了還沒有真正的歸附對象，是大凶。

The topmost SIX shows one seeking attachment without taking the first (step to such an end). There will be evil.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

比之無首，無所終也。

比附而無首，是沒有歸宿之地。

比bǐ

To draw close, attach, hold together. Voluntary allegiance, not conquest. The name of the hexagram.

原yuán

Again, a second time (archaic) — to divine once more, re-examining oneself.

筮shì

To divine with yarrow stalks; to put the question to the oracle.

缶fǒu

An earthenware vessel. Line 1's image: sincerity filling it to the brim — plain container, real content.

匪fěi

Not (archaic, for 非). 匪人 — 'not the right people,' the wrong objects of attachment.

三驅sān qū

The three-sided drive of the ancient royal hunt — enclose three sides, leave one open. The ritual of not hunting to extermination.

誡jiè

To warn, be on guard. 'The townspeople are not on alert' — no fear around the true king.

首shǒu

Head — beginning, leader, core. What the top line's union fatally lacks.