Biting Through

噬嗑
Hexagram 21 of 64
Judgment · 卦辞
Biting through. Success. Favorable for legal proceedings.
噬嗑,亨。利用獄。
Commentary on the Judgment · 彖传
Something stuck between the jaws — this is called Biting Through.
頤中有物曰噬嗑。
Image · 象传
Thunder and lightning: biting through. The ancient kings made penalties clear and enforced the laws.
雷電,噬嗑。先王以明罰敕法。

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Six Lines · 六爻
Line 1
Feet in the stocks, toes hidden. No blame.
屨校滅趾,无咎。
Shackles hide the feet. No movement.
屨校滅趾,不行也。
Line 2
Biting through soft flesh, the nose sinks in. No blame.
噬膚滅鼻,无咎。
Biting through skin, the nose disappears. Relying on strength.
噬膚滅鼻,乘剛也。
Line 3
Biting on dried meat, meeting poison — slight humiliation, no blame.
噬腊肉遇毒,小吝,无咎。
Encountering poison. The position is not fitting.
遇毒,位不當也。
Line 4
Biting on dried meat with bone, finding a metal arrowhead. Firm perseverance brings good fortune.
噬乾胏,得金矢,艮貞吉。
Perseverance brings good fortune and no blame. The light has not yet spread.
貞吉无咎,未光也。
Line 5
Biting on dried meat, finding yellow gold. Perseverance with danger, no blame.
噬乾肉得黄金,貞厲,无咎。
Perseverance in danger, no blame. The action is fitting.
貞厲无咎,得当也。
Line 6
Carrying the cangue, ears hidden. Misfortune.
荷校滅耳,凶。
Shouldering shackles that hide the ears. Hearing is not clear.
荷校滅耳,聰不明也。
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