Hexagram 2 坤, Line 3
坤
Hexagram 2 · third line, divided (six)
含章，可貞。或從王事，无成有終。
The third line, divided, (shows its subject) keeping his excellence under restraint, but firmly maintaining it. If he should have occasion to engage in the king's service, though he will not claim the success (for himself), he will bring affairs to a good issue.
James Legge (1882), public domain.
Small image (小象)
含章可貞，以時發也。或從王事，知光大也。
If only this line changes, hexagram 2 becomes hexagram 15.
← Hexagram 2 坤: judgment and all lines
Character glossary
- 含hánto hold in the mouth; to contain; to che
- 章zhāngchapter, section, writing; seal
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 貞zhēnvirtuous, chaste, pure; loyal
- 或huòor, either, else; maybe, perhaps, possib
- 從cóngfrom, by, since, whence, through
- 王wángking, ruler; royal; surname
- 事shìaffair, matter, business; to serve; acci
- 无wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 成chéngto accomplish; to become; to complete, t
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 終zhōngend; finally, in the end
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 時shítime, season; period, era, age
- 發fāto issue, to dispatch, to send out; hair
- 也yěalso, too
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 光guānglight; bright, brilliant; only, merely
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.