鼎 · 新
Judgement
元吉，亨。
Supreme good fortune; success.
The Image
木上有火，鼎。君子以正位凝命。
Above wood, fire: the cauldron. So the superior man corrects his position and offers to the supreme spirit.
The Lines
鼎颠趾，利出否；得妾以其子，无咎。
The cauldron’s feet overturned; it furthers to expel the stagnant. A concubine is taken for her son; no blame.
“鼎颠趾”，未悖也；“利出否”，以从贵也。
The cauldron’s feet overturned: not yet perverse. Expelling the stagnant: to follow the honoured.
鼎有实，我仇有疾，不我能即，吉。
The cauldron has substance; my adversary is ill and cannot come to me. Good fortune.
“鼎有实”，慎所之也；“我仇有疾”，终无尤也。
The cauldron has substance: he is careful where he goes. My adversary is ill: in the end no fault.
鼎耳革，其行塞。雉膏不食；方雨亏悔，终吉。
The cauldron’s ears change; its walk is blocked. The pheasant’s fat is not eaten. When rain comes, regret wanes; in the end, good fortune.
“鼎耳革”，失其义也。
The cauldron’s ears change: he loses its fitting.
鼎折足，覆公餗，其形渥，凶。
The cauldron’s leg breaks; the prince’s stew spills; its form is splashed. Ill.
“覆公餗”，信如何也。
Spilling the prince’s stew: how can he be trusted?
鼎黄耳，金铉，利贞。
The cauldron’s yellow ears and metal rings; furthered by steadfastness.
“鼎黄耳”，中以为实也。
The cauldron’s yellow ears: the middle is taken as substance.
鼎玉铉，大吉，无不利。
The cauldron’s jade rings; great good fortune; nothing unfurthered.
“玉铉”在上，刚柔节也。
The jade rings above: hard and soft are measured.
Reading
火在鼎下：化生之器。经文所看顾的是器与所盛之物两边的状态——鼎不洁，革便毫无意义。大吉被说成至上之祭：结局的成色看所供的是什么，不看火候。