41. Sun | Decrease | Zhou Yi | English

损（sǔn）：（）有（yǒu）孚（fú），（）元（yuán）吉（jí），（）无（wú）咎（jiù），（）可（kě）贞（zhēn），（）利（lì）有（yǒu）攸（yōu）往（wǎng）。（）曷（hé）之（zhī）用（yòng）二（èr）簋（guǐ），（）可（kě）用（yòng）享（xiǎng）。（）

Translation: 损 / Decrease: there is sincerity，greatly auspicious，no blame，可贞，it is beneficial to have somewhere to go。曷之用二簋，可用享。.

Reading note: This is the judgment of Sun (Decrease), setting the overall situation and guiding principle for the whole hexagram. “having somewhere to go” means forward action is fitting; “sincerity” points to trustworthiness and inner confidence; “constancy” means holding to what is correct over time; “no blame” means avoiding fault, not necessarily winning great success; “auspicious” indicates a favorable direction.

初（chū）九（jiǔ）：（）已（yǐ）事（shì）遄（chuán）往（wǎng），（）无（wú）咎（jiù），（）酌（zhuó）损（sǔn）之（zhī）。（）

Translation: First Nine: 已事遄往，no blame，酌损之。.

Reading note: The first line is the lowest position, where a situation is just beginning and its strength is still forming. “no blame” means avoiding fault, not necessarily winning great success.

九（jiǔ）二（èr）：（）利（lì）贞（zhēn），（）征（zhēng）凶（xiōng）。（）弗（fú）损（sǔn），（）益（yì）之（zhī）。（）

Translation: Second Nine: it is beneficial to remain upright，征misfortune。弗损，益之。.

Reading note: The second line often suggests a central and emerging position: no longer hidden, but not yet in command. “constancy” means holding to what is correct over time; “misfortune” marks serious risk.

六（liù）三（sān）：（）三（sān）人（rén）行（xíng）则（zé）损（sǔn）一（yī）人（rén），（）一（yī）人（rén）行（xíng）则（zé）得（dé）其（qí）友（yǒu）。（）

Translation: Third Six: Draft rendering: 三人行则损一人，一人行则得其友。.

Reading note: The third line stands at the end of the lower trigram, where effort and pressure increase and caution becomes important. The image should be read as a concrete way of describing the situation before choosing how to act.

六（liù）四（sì）：（）损（sǔn）其（qí）疾（jí），（）使（shǐ）遄（chuán）有（yǒu）喜（xǐ），（）无（wú）咎（jiù）。（）

Translation: Fourth Six: 损其疾，使遄有喜，no blame。.

Reading note: The fourth line enters the upper trigram and marks a threshold between holding back and advancing. “no blame” means avoiding fault, not necessarily winning great success.

六（liù）五（wǔ）：（）或（huò）益（yì）之（zhī）十（shí）朋（péng）之（zhī）龟（guī），（）弗（fú）克（kè）违（wéi），（）元（yuán）吉（jí）。（）

Translation: Fifth Six: 或益之十朋之龟，弗克违，greatly auspicious。.

Reading note: The fifth line is near the honored position, where influence can be exercised if power remains aligned with what is right. “auspicious” indicates a favorable direction.

上（shàng）九（jiǔ）：（）弗（fú）损（sǔn），（）益（yì）之（zhī），（）无（wú）咎（jiù），（）贞（zhēn）吉（jí）。（）利（lì）有（yǒu）攸（yōu）往（wǎng）。（）得（dé）臣（chén）无（wú）家（jiā）。（）

Translation: Top Nine: 弗损，益之，no blame，uprightness is auspicious。it is beneficial to have somewhere to go。得臣无家。.

Reading note: The top line is the end of the hexagram's movement, often warning about excess, culmination, or the need to change course. “having somewhere to go” means forward action is fitting; “constancy” means holding to what is correct over time; “no blame” means avoiding fault, not necessarily winning great success; “auspicious” indicates a favorable direction.

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