The Power of the Great

壯于趾，征凶，有孚。

Strength in the toes. Advancing brings misfortune; this is certain.

Strength first reaches the toes at Line 1. The closing phrase reinforces the text’s warning about advancing too soon. Changing the firm base to yielding makes Wind below Thunder and produces Hexagram 32.

貞吉。

Constancy is favorable.

Line 2 contains strength at the center of lower Heaven; the source adds no further image. Its change makes Fire below Thunder and produces Hexagram 55.

小人用壯，君子用罔，貞厲。羝羊觸藩，羸其角。

A petty person uses force; an exemplary person does not. Constancy meets danger. A ram butts a fence and entangles its horns.

The ram catches its horns at Line 3, the end of inner Heaven. When that firm line yields, Lake replaces Heaven below Thunder and the figure becomes Hexagram 54, a relationship of unequal positions.

貞吉，悔亡。藩決不羸，壯于大輿之輹。

Constancy is favorable, and regret vanishes. The fence opens without catching the horns; strength rests in the axle mount of a great cart.

At Line 4, the fence opens and the cart carries the force that the ram could not. The line's change makes Earth above Heaven, Hexagram 11, with rising and descending forces in exchange.

喪羊于易，无悔。

Losing the ram in the open ground. No regret.

Line 5 is the yielding center of outer Thunder, and the ram is lost without regret. Making the line firm turns Thunder into Lake and produces Hexagram 43 above Heaven.

羝羊觸藩，不能退，不能遂，无攸利，艱則吉。

A ram butts a fence and can neither withdraw nor get through. Nothing is beneficial. Taking the difficulty seriously is favorable.

The top line is caught at the fence, unable to advance or withdraw. Changing it to firm turns Thunder into Fire and yields Hexagram 14, Fire above Heaven.