归妹 · 婚
Judgement
征凶，无攸利。
To go is ill; nothing furthers.
The Image
泽上有雷，归妹。君子以永终知敝。
Thunder above the lake: the marrying maiden. So the superior man understands the lasting in the light of the passing.
The Lines
归妹以娣，跛能履，征吉。
The marrying maiden goes as a concubine; the lame can walk. To go is auspicious.
“归妹以娣”，以恒也；“跛能履”“吉”，相承也。
The marrying maiden goes as a concubine: it is constant. The lame can walk — auspicious: they sustain each other.
眇能视，利幽人之贞。
One-eyed, yet seeing; it furthers the hermit’s steadfastness.
“利幽人之贞”，未变常也。
It furthers the hermit’s steadfastness: he has not changed the constant.
归妹以须，反归以娣。
The marrying maiden goes as a slave; she returns and takes a concubine’s place.
“归妹以须”，未当也。
The marrying maiden goes as a slave: not yet right.
归妹愆期，迟归有时。
The marrying maiden delays; late marriage has its time.
“愆期”之志，有待而行也。
The delaying’s will: it waits, then walks.
帝乙归妹，其君之袂，不如其娣之袂良；月几望，吉。
Lord Yi gives his daughter in marriage; her sleeves are less fine than her half-sister’s. The moon nearly full. Good fortune.
“帝乙归妹”，“不如其娣之袂良”也，其位在中，以贵行也。
Lord Yi gives his daughter in marriage: her half-sister’s sleeves are less fine. Her place is in the middle; she walks in honour.
女承筐，无实；士刲羊，无血。无攸利。
The woman holds the basket, but it is empty; the man stabs the sheep, but no blood. Nothing furthers.
上六“无实”，“承”虚“筐”也。
The top line’s emptiness: she holds an empty basket.
Reading
雷在泽上，妹妹出嫁。此卦讲依安排而成的结合，经文写得审慎而不浪漫：侧位守得正当，本身就是一种序。做不了主的，仍可以做得好。