复 · 返
Judgement
亨。出入无疾，朋来无咎。反复其道，七日来复，利有攸往。
Success. Going out and in without sickness; friends come without blame. Turning back on the way; seven days and the return comes. It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
The Image
雷在地中，复。先王以至日闭关，商旅不行，后不省方。
Thunder within the earth: return. So the former kings closed the passes at the winter solstice; merchants did not travel, the ruler did not inspect the regions.
The Lines
不远复，无祗悔，元吉。
Return from not far; no great regret. Supreme good fortune.
“不远”之“复”，以修身也。
Return from not far: it cultivates the self.
休复，吉。
Restful return. Good fortune.
“休复”之“吉”，以下仁也。
The good fortune of restful return: he puts himself below the humane.
频复，厉无咎。
Repeated return. Danger, but no blame.
“频复”之“厉”，义“无咎”也。
The danger of repeated return: by meaning, no blame.
中行独复。
Walking the middle, returning alone.
“中行独复”，以从道也。
Walking the middle, returning alone: he follows the way.
敦复，无悔。
Sincere return. No regret.
“敦复，无悔”，中以自考也。
Sincere return, no regret: the middle examines itself.
迷复，凶，有灾眚。用行师，终有大败；以其国，君凶，至于十年不克征。
Lost return. Ill; there is calamity. To move the army ends in great defeat — for his state, ill for the ruler; ten years he cannot march.
“迷复”之“凶”，反君道也。
The ill of lost return: it turns against the ruler’s way.
Reading
雷在地中：极静之后的初动。复是全书的转捩——一爻阳气自下而入，一切都系于这一步之返。经文以日计返，而七日不是日程，是一个自然的周期。