屯 · 始
Judgement
元亨，利贞；勿用有攸往，利建侯。
Sublime success, furthered by perseverance. It does not further one to go anywhere; it furthers one to appoint helpers.
The Image
云雷，屯。君子以经纶。
Clouds and thunder: difficulty at the beginning. So the superior man brings order out of confusion.
The Lines
磐桓；利居贞，利建侯。
Hesitation and hindrance. It furthers one to stay steadfast and to appoint helpers.
虽磐桓，志行正也；以贵下贱，大得民也。
Though he hesitates, his purpose walks straight; he honours the lowly and wins the people.
屯如，邅如，乘马班如。匪寇婚媾。女子贞不字，十年乃字。
Difficulties pile up. Horse and wagon part. He is no robber — he comes to woo. The maiden stays chaste and does not pledge herself; ten years, then she pledges.
六二之难，乘刚也。“十年乃字”，反常也。
Her difficulty is mounting the hard line; ten years is a return to the normal.
即鹿无虞，惟入于林中，君子几，不如舍，往吝。
Chasing deer without the forester, one only goes deeper into the woods. The superior man sees the sign and gives up; to go on is pitiable.
“即鹿无虞”，以从禽也。君子舍之；“往吝”，穷也。
Chasing deer without the forester is following the game. The superior man lets it go; going on exhausts him.
乘马班如，求婚媾，往吉，无不利。
Horse and wagon part. He goes to woo. Good fortune; nothing unfurthered.
“求”而“往”，明也。
He seeks and goes — that is clarity.
屯其膏，小贞吉，大贞凶。
Difficulty hoards its riches: small steadfastness is auspicious, great steadfastness is ill.
“屯其膏”，施未光也。
He hoards his riches, but the giving is not yet bright.
乘马班如，泣血涟如。
Horse and wagon part; she weeps tears of blood.
“泣血涟如”，何可长也？
Tears of blood — how could that last?
Reading
云在雷上，雨尚未落。起始的一切都处在这个情形里——力量已经聚齐，却没有去处。卦辞的劝告是设立主帅、聚拢帮手：开端之事，不是凭一人的英雄气概就能扛动的。