The Army

師出以律，否臧凶。

The army sets out under rules. Without sound order, misfortune follows.

Rules are established at the yielding bottom line before the host sets out; firming it changes lower water to lake and produces Hexagram 19.

在師中，吉，无咎，王三錫命。

At the center of the army: favorable, no fault. The king grants command three times.

The second place is the host's only firm line and its center of command. If it yields, all six lines are broken and the result is Hexagram 2.

師或輿尸，凶。

The army may carry corpses in its wagons. Misfortune.

The wagons carrying corpses stand at Line 3, above the inner trigram's firm commander. Making this line firm turns lower water to wind and yields Hexagram 46.

師左次，无咎。

The army withdraws to camp. No fault.

Withdrawal preserves the army when advance is unsound; Zhu Xi reads the leftward camp as a retreat. Changing Line 4 from yielding to firm turns upper earth to thunder and produces Hexagram 40.

田有禽，利執言，无咎。長子帥師，弟子輿尸，貞凶。

There is game in the field; capturing it is beneficial. No fault. The elder son leads the army; the younger carries corpses. Even with constancy, misfortune.

The central fifth line distinguishes an experienced commander from the younger subordinate whose wagons carry corpses. In the traditional reading, divided command defeats the purpose of a justified campaign. Changing Line 5 to firm turns upper earth to water and produces Hexagram 29.

大君有命，開國承家，小人勿用。

The great ruler issues a mandate, founds states, and grants hereditary houses. Do not employ petty people.

The ruler's postwar mandate belongs to the top line. Changing that yielding line to firm turns upper earth into mountain and gives Hexagram 4.