| Name | 夬 Guài, “Breakthrough” |
|---|---|
| Upper trigram | ☱ 兑 Lake: openness and exchange |
| Lower trigram | ☰ 乾 Heaven: strength and initiative |
The Judgment
扬于王庭，孚号，有厉，告自邑，不利即戎，利有攸往。
Proclaim it in the king's court. Sincerely cry out — there is danger. Inform your own city. Not wise to use weapons. Wise to have somewhere to go.
Time to call something out — but openly, not by force. Be honest about the risk. Move strategically, not violently.
The Image
泽上于天，夬；君子以施禄及下，居德则忌。
The lake rises to heaven — Breakthrough. The wise distribute riches downward and avoid dwelling on their own virtue.
When you've made it to the top, share the wealth and stop talking about how good you are. The flex is in the giving.
The six lines
If a line changes in your cast, read its text below. Lines are numbered from the bottom.
Line 1 · first (bottom) · Yang
壮于前趾，往不胜，为咎。
Powerful in the toes. Going on without overcoming — fault.
Wanting to charge in without the strength to back it up. Slow down — assess your actual position.
Line 2 · second · Yang
惕号，莫夜有戎，勿恤。
Alarmed cries. In the evening and at night, weapons of war. Do not fear.
Stay alert through the night. The fear is real but you're prepared. Don't let it paralyze you.
Line 3 · third · Yang
壮于頄，有凶。君子夬夬，独行遇雨，若濡，有愠，无咎。
Powerful in the cheekbones. Misfortune. The noble one — firm and resolute. Walks alone in the rain. Soaked, irritated. No blame.
Anger showing on your face is a tell. Better to walk alone, get rained on, stay quiet about the resolve. People will misread it — that's fine.
Line 4 · fourth · Yang
臀无肤，其行次且。牵羊悔亡，闻言不信。
Thighs without skin. Walking is difficult. Led like a sheep — regret vanishes. Hear words, do not believe.
Movement is painful, ego bruised. Be willing to be led for a bit. And: don't trust everything you hear right now.
Line 5 · fifth · Yang
苋陆夬夬，中行无咎。
Pulling up purslane — firm resolve in the middle path. No blame.
Cleaning out the small toxic things one by one. Stay measured. No drama.
Line 6 · top · Yin
无号，终有凶。
No cry. In the end — misfortune.
The warning sirens stop. Silence isn't peace — it's the calm before consequence. Don't relax now.
Related hexagrams
- Inverted (turned upside down): Hexagram 44, Coming to Meet
- Complement (every line reversed): Hexagram 23, Splitting Apart