第四十九卦 · 49Hexagram 49革 · GÉGÉ

泽火革Gé · Revolution

兑上 · 离下Lake over Fire

卦辞The Judgement

革：己日乃孚，元亨，利贞，悔亡。Gé. On the day of turning, sincerity is won. Sublimely prosperous and smooth, favorable to be steadfast and upright. Regret vanishes.

变革、革新、推翻旧体系的时候到了。离火在下属火居南方，兑泽在上属金居西方——火在泽下面烧，泽水被火烤干，或者火被泽水浇灭——水火不相容，要么水灭火，要么火蒸干了水。火克金，下面烧上面浇——旧的平衡维持不住了，必须变。该革就要果断地革——但要在合适的时机（巳日）才会被信服。革命不是任性，是顺应趋势、解决积弊。

It's time for transformation, renewal, the overturning of an old system. The lower trigram Lí is Fire, element Fire, in the south; the upper trigram Duì is Lake, element Metal, in the west — fire burning below the lake, the lake-water baked dry by the fire, or the fire doused by the lake — water and fire don't mix: either water kills fire, or fire boils water away. Fire checks Metal, burning below and dousing above — the old balance can't hold, and change must come. Revolt when revolt is needed — decisively. But the timing must be right ("the day of turning") for the people to be convinced. Revolution is not whim; it is responding to the trend and uprooting the entrenched.

大象The Image

《象》曰：泽中有火，革；君子以治历明时。Fire within the lake: the image of Revolution. The noble one, accordingly, sets the calendar in order and makes the seasons clear.

六爻The Six Lines

初九Initial Nine

初九，巩用黄牛之革。Bound fast with the hide of a yellow ox.

用最坚韧的束缚（黄牛之革）固定住——离火初爻，火刚点着——还不能行动，革命的时机还没到，先稳住自己，还不能行动。革命的时机还没到，先稳住自己。

Lash the situation down with the toughest leather (the yellow-ox hide) — Lí's Fire, first line, the flame just lit — you can't act yet; the moment for revolution hasn't come, so steady yourself first — you can't act yet. The moment for revolution hasn't come; first hold yourself steady.

六二Second Six

六二，己日乃革之，征吉，无咎。On the day of turning, then act and reform. Going forward: good fortune. No fault.

真正的革命时机到了——离火居中，火候正好——主动出击吉，等了那么久就是为了这一刻，主动出击吉、没有过失。等了那么久，就是为了这一刻。

The real moment for revolution has arrived — Lí's Fire centered, the heat just right — take initiative for good fortune; all the waiting was for this — take initiative, good fortune, no fault. All the waiting was for this.

九三Third Nine

九三，征凶，贞厉；革言三就，有孚。Going forward: misfortune. Steadfastness: danger. Talk of change comes three times, sincerely.

贸然推进会凶、坚守正道也危险——离火到三爻，火势过猛——只有反复商议、确认时机成熟才能行动，只有反复商议、确认时机成熟（革言三就）才能行动。革命需要谋定而后动。

Rushing in brings misfortune, holding rigid brings danger — Lí's Fire at the third line, the blaze too fierce — only after talking it through repeatedly, with the timing ripe, can you act — only when you've talked it through, again and again, and the timing is ripe ("three times") can you act. Revolution must be planned, then made.

九四Fourth Nine

九四，悔亡，有孚改命，吉。Regret vanishes. Sincere, changing the mandate. Good fortune.

改变现状有信心——兑泽初爻，水刚开始动——改命吉，这种改命是命运的转折点，要有信念才能成，改命吉。这种“改命”是命运的转折点，要有信念才能成。

Changing the order of things calls for conviction — Duì's Lake, first line, the water just beginning to move — changing the mandate brings fortune, a turning point of destiny that takes belief to bring off — "changing the mandate" brings good fortune. This is a turning point in destiny; you need belief to bring it off.

九五Fifth Nine

九五，大人虎变，未占有孚。The great person changes like a tiger. Even before divination, there is sincerity.

像老虎换毛一样彻底改变——兑泽居中，泽水最清——光彩夺目，即使没占卜也能成功，这种自信和果决就是底气，光彩夺目。即使没占卜也能成功——这种自信和果决就是底气。

Changing thoroughly, as a tiger sheds its coat — Duì's Lake centered, the lake-water at its clearest — splendid; even without divination it can succeed, for the self-trust and decisiveness are the strength — splendid, unmistakable. Even without divination it can succeed — that self-trust and decisiveness are the strength.

上六Top Six

上六，君子豹变，小人革面；征凶，居贞吉。The superior person changes like a leopard. The petty person changes face. Going forward: misfortune. Abide steadfast and upright: good fortune.

君子像豹子换毛、小人也至少改变面孔。兑泽到极处，水已换了新颜——但已经革成的就不要再折腾了，守住成果就是吉。但已经革成的就不要再折腾了——守住成果就是吉。

The superior person changes like a leopard, and even the petty change face — Duì's Lake at its extreme, the water already wearing a new face — but what has been revolutionized should not be stirred up again; hold the gains, and that is the good fortune — but what has been revolutionized should not be re-revolutionized. Hold the gains; that is the good fortune now.