Retreat

遯尾，厲，勿用有攸往。

At the tail of retreat: danger. Do not go forward.

Line 1 is the tail of retreat, closest to what follows. Making the bottom line firm turns Mountain into Fire and produces Hexagram 13, Fellowship beneath Heaven.

執之用黃牛之革，莫之勝說。

Held fast with the hide of a yellow ox; no one can loosen it.

The yellow ox hide binds Line 2 at the center of inner Mountain. Its change makes Wind below Heaven and yields Hexagram 44, an encounter entering at the lower threshold.

係遯，有疾厲，畜臣妾吉。

Tethered withdrawal brings illness and danger. Keeping male servants and concubines is favorable.

At Line 3, retreat is tethered; the line separately calls keeping male servants and concubines favorable within its received household order. The firm line yields, Mountain becomes Earth, and Hexagram 12 separates Earth from Heaven.

好遯，君子吉，小人否。

Retreat despite attachment. Favorable for the exemplary person; a petty person cannot do it.

Line 4 is drawn toward its corresponding first line but can retreat despite that attachment. The contrast concerns the capacity to let go, not whether retreat was imposed. Changing Line 4 gives Wind above Mountain, Hexagram 53.

嘉遯，貞吉。

Admirable withdrawal. Constancy is favorable.

Admirable withdrawal belongs to Line 5, the center of outer Heaven. When the line yields, Fire stands above Mountain and the result is Hexagram 56.

肥遯，无不利。

Unencumbered retreat. Favorable in every respect.

Nothing binds retreat at Line 6; the distance is ample. A yielding top turns Heaven into Lake and produces Hexagram 31, Influence above the same Mountain.