Hexagram 8 比, Line 5
比
Hexagram 8 · fifth line, undivided (nine)
顯比。王用三敺，失前禽，邑人不誡，吉。
The fifth line, undivided, affords the most illustrious instance of seeking union and attachment. (We seem to see in it) the king urging his pursuit of the game (only) in three directions, and allowing the escape of all the animals before him, while the people of his towns do not warn one another (to prevent it). There will be good fortune.
James Legge (1882), public domain.
Small image (小象)
顯比之吉，位正中也。舍逆取順，失前禽也。邑人不誡，上使中也。
If only this line changes, hexagram 8 becomes hexagram 2.
← Hexagram 8 比: judgment and all lines
Character glossary
- 顯xiǎnclear, evident; prominent; to show
- 比bǐto compare, liken; comparison; than
- 王wángking, ruler; royal; surname
- 用yòngto use, to employ, to apply; use
- 三sānthree
- 敺qūexpel, drive away; beat, assault
- 失shīto lose; to make a mistake, to neglect
- 前qiánin front, forward; former, preceding
- 禽qínbirds, fowl; to capture; surname
- 邑yìarea, district, city, state
- 人rénman, person; people
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 誡jièto warn, to admonish; warning
- 吉jílucky, propitious, good
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 位wèiseat, throne; rank, status; position, lo
- 正zhèngstraight, right, proper, correct, just,
- 中zhōngcentral; center, middle; amidst; to hit
- 也yěalso, too
- 舍shěhouse, dwelling; to reside, to dwell; to
- 逆nìto disobey, to rebel; traitor, rebel
- 取qǔto take, to receive, to obtain; to selec
- 順shùnto submit to, to obey, to go along with
- 上shàngabove, on top, superior; to go up; to at
- 使shǐcause, mission, orders; envoy, messenger
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.