Hexagram Statement
卦辭
離之為卦，以柔為正，故必貞而後乃亨，故曰利貞亨也。 柔處于內而履正中，牝之善也。外強而內順，牛之善也。離之為體，以柔順為主者也。故不可以畜剛猛之物，而吉於畜牝牛也。
Li as a hexagram takes the yielding as what is correct, therefore one must be correct and only then can there be success. Hence it says "Benefit in Correctness, Success."
The yielding occupying the inner position and treading the correct center — this is the excellence of the female. Outer strength with inner docility — this is the excellence of the cow. The constitution of Li takes yielding docility as its governing principle.
Therefore one cannot nurture fierce and aggressive creatures, but finds good fortune in nurturing a female cow.
正義曰：「離，利貞，亨」者，離，麗也。麗謂附著也。言萬物各得其所附著處，故謂之離也。「利貞亨」者，離卦之體，陰柔為主，柔則近於不正，不正則不亨通，故利在行正，乃得亨通。以此故亨在利貞之下，故云「利貞亨」。
The Correct Meaning states: "Li. Benefit in Correctness. " Li means 'clinging' (li). Clinging refers to attachment. It says that the myriad things each find the place where they attach, hence it is called Li.
"Benefit in Correctness, Success": the constitution of the Li hexagram takes the yin and yielding as its governing principle. The yielding is close to being incorrect; if incorrect, then there is no success. Therefore benefit lies in practicing correctness, and only then does one attain success. "
注「離之」至「貞亨也」。正義曰：「離之為卦，以柔為正」者，二與五俱是陰爻，處於上下兩卦之中，是以柔為正。
Note, from "Li as a hexagram" to "Correctness, Success." The Correct Meaning states: "Li as a hexagram takes the yielding as what is correct" — the second and fifth lines are both yin lines, positioned at the center of the upper and lower trigrams. This is taking the yielding as what is correct.
注「柔處」至「牝牛也」。正義曰：「柔處於內而履正中，牝之善也」者，若柔不處於內，似婦人而預外事；若柔而不履正中，則邪僻之行，皆非牝之善也。若柔能處中，行能履正，是為牝之善也。云「外強而內順牛之善」者，明若內外俱強，則失於猛害；若外內俱順，則失於劣弱。唯外強內順，於用為善，故云「外強內順牛之善也」。「離之為體，以柔順為主，故不可以畜剛猛之物」者，既以柔順為主，若畜剛猛之物，則反其德，故不可畜剛猛而畜牝牛也。
" The Correct Meaning states: "The yielding occupying the inner position and treading the correct center — this is the excellence of the female" — if the yielding did not occupy the inner position, it would be like a woman meddling in external affairs.
If yielding but not treading the correct center, then its conduct would be deviant and biased — none of these would be the excellence of the female. If the yielding can occupy the center and its conduct can tread correctness, this constitutes the excellence of the female.
"Outer strength with inner docility is the excellence of the cow" — this clarifies that if both inner and outer were strong, one would err through fierceness and harm; if both outer and inner were docile, one would err through weakness and feebleness.
" "The constitution of Li takes yielding docility as its governing principle, therefore one cannot nurture fierce and aggressive creatures" — since yielding docility is the governing principle, if one nurtures fierce and aggressive creatures, it would go against that virtue.
Therefore one cannot nurture the fierce and aggressive, but should nurture a female cow.
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Source: eee-learning.com (易學網) · Edition: 武英殿十三經注疏