Hexagram 42 益 changing to hexagram 32 恒
Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
What to read
All six lines change: read the judgment of the resulting hexagram. (Rule set out by Zhu Xi in the Yixue qimeng.)
Judgment of hexagram 32 恒
恆:亨,无咎。利貞,利有攸往。
Hăng indicates successful progress and no error (in what it denotes). But the advantage will come from being firm and correct; and movement in any direction whatever will be advantageous.
The two hexagrams
Hexagram 42 益 — judgment
利有攸往。利涉大川。
Yî indicates that (in the state which it denotes) there will be advantage in every movement which shall be undertaken, that it will be advantageous (even) to cross the great stream.
Hexagram 32 恒 — judgment
恆:亨,无咎。利貞,利有攸往。
Hăng indicates successful progress and no error (in what it denotes). But the advantage will come from being firm and correct; and movement in any direction whatever will be advantageous.
The changing lines of hexagram 42
| Line | Chinese | Legge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 利用為大作,元吉,无咎。 | The first line, undivided, shows that it will be advantageous for its subject in his position to make a great movement. If it be greatly fortunate, no blame will be imputed to him. |
| 2 | 或益之,十朋之龜弗克違,永貞吉。王用享于帝,吉。 | The second line, divided, shows parties adding to the stores of its subject ten pairs of tortoise shells whose oracles cannot be opposed. Let him persevere in being firm and correct, and there will be good fortune. Let the king, (having the virtues thus distinguished), employ them in presenting his offerings to God, and there will be good fortune. |
| 3 | 益之用凶事,无咎。有孚中行,告公用圭。 | The third line, divided, shows increase given to its subject by means of what is evil, so that he shall (be led to good), and be without blame. Let him be sincere and pursue the path of the Mean, (so shall he secure the recognition of the ruler, like) an officer who announces himself to his prince by the symbol of his rank. |
| 4 | 中行,告公從。利用為依遷國。 | The fourth line, divided, shows its subject pursuing the due course. His advice to his prince is followed. He can with advantage be relied on in such a movement as that of removing the capital. |
| 5 | 有孚惠心,勿問元吉。有孚惠我德。 | The fifth line, undivided, shows its subject with sincere heart seeking to benefit (all below). There need be no question about it; the result will be great good fortune. (All below) will with sincere heart acknowledge his goodness. |
| 6 | 莫益之,或擊之,立心勿恆,凶。 | In the sixth line, undivided, we see one to whose increase none will contribute, while many will seek to assail him. He observes no regular rule in the ordering of his heart. There will be evil. |
English: James Legge (1882), public domain. Chinese: Zhou Yi.
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.