Hexagram Statement
卦辭
窮必通也。處窮而不能自通者,小人也。 處困而得无咎,吉乃免也。
When one is exhausted, one must find a way through. Those who dwell in exhaustion yet cannot find their own way through are petty people.
To dwell in confinement and attain freedom from blame — only through good fortune can one be spared.
正義曰:困者,窮厄委頓之名,道窮力竭,不能自濟,故名為困。亨者,卦德也。小人遭困,則窮斯濫矣。君子遇之,則不改其操。君子處困而不失其自通之道,故曰「困亨」也。
The Correct Meaning states: "Confinement" (kun) is a term for being impoverished, distressed, and worn out — when the Way is exhausted and strength is depleted, unable to rescue oneself, therefore it is named Confinement. "Success" (heng) is the virtue of the hexagram.
When petty people encounter confinement, they sink into excess and disorder. When the noble person encounters it, he does not alter his integrity. "
「貞,大人吉,无咎」者,處困而能自通,必是履正體大之人,能濟於困,然後得吉而无咎,故曰「貞,大人吉,无咎」也。
As for "Correctness. The great person has good fortune and is without blame": to dwell in confinement yet be able to find one's own way through, one must be a person who treads in correctness and embodies greatness.
Only one who can bring deliverance from confinement will then attain good fortune and be without blame — therefore it says "Correctness. "
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Source: eee-learning.com (易學網) · Edition: 武英殿十三經注疏