天水讼Sòng · Contention
乾上 · 坎下Heaven over Water
卦辞The Judgement
讼：有孚窒惕，中吉；终凶，利见大人，不利涉大川。Sòng. Sincerity is blocked; be cautious. The midpoint: good fortune. To press to the end: misfortune. Favorable to see a great person. Unfavorable to cross great rivers.
正在或将要陷入纠纷、争执、官司中。坎居北方，五行属水，势往下流。金本生水，但方向一逆——天往高处升，水往低处沉，两股力量不但不配合，反而越拉越远，这就是讼。即使你有理，也不要恋战——见好就收最明智。寻找有威望的中间人调解最有利。打到底、不退让，最终结果一定是凶。
You're in a dispute, conflict, or lawsuit — or one is coming. Kǎn sits in the north, element Water, its current sinking. Metal normally generates Water, but here the directions are opposed — Heaven climbs higher, water sinks lower, two forces pulling further and further apart, and this is the Dispute. Even if you're in the right, don't fight to the death; quitting while ahead is the wisest move. Find a respected go-between to mediate. Driving the conflict all the way to the end always ends badly.
大象The Image
《象》曰：天与水违行，讼；君子以作事谋始。Heaven and water move in opposite directions: the image of Conflict. The noble one, accordingly, plans the start of any undertaking with care.
六爻The Six Lines
初六，不永所事；小有言，终吉。Do not prolong the matter. A little gossip ends in good fortune.
纠纷刚冒头时，坎水初爻，水还没汇成流——事态还小，主动停手、不要纠缠，事情很快就过去。可能会有几句闲话或小委屈，但不要因小失大。
When the dispute first surfaces, Kǎn's Water, first line, not yet gathered into a stream — the matter is still small, walk away from it — don't get drawn in, don't keep arguing, and it passes quickly. You may hear some unfair words or take a small hit to dignity, but don't make it worse over something small.
九二，不克讼，归而逋，其邑人三百户，无眚。Unable to contend. Return and flee. The three hundred households of his town are safe from harm.
明知争不过对方时，九二阳爻陷在坎中——自己有理但被水深火热包围，争不赢，及时撤退、回到自己的小天地，反而能保全自己和身边人。硬碰硬只会把家人朋友都拖下水。
When you know you can't beat the opponent, the second line, yang, sunk inside Kǎn — you are in the right but surrounded by deep water and fire, and cannot win, retreat to your small territory in time — it's the way to keep yourself and the people around you safe. Pushing the fight will only drag your family and friends down with you.
六三，食旧德，贞厉，终吉；或从王事，无成。Living on the old virtue. Steadfastness: adversity; in the end, good fortune. Perhaps serving a king's work: claim no credit.
六三阴爻居坎卦之极，但紧靠乾卦——不主动下水，也不主动争天，守住自己那一亩三分地，守住老本、不主动出击、不强出头，事情就能平稳过去。即使被卷入更大的事情，也安守本分、不居功，自然无事。
The third line, yin, sits at the top of Kǎn yet leans close to Qián — it neither plunges into the water nor strives for the heavens, but holds its own small plot of ground. Keep your old position, don't stir things up, don't try to take the lead — and you'll come through. Even when you get pulled into something larger, stay within your role, don't take credit, and you're safe.
九四，不克讼；复即命，渝，安贞吉。Unable to contend. Turn back; accept the truth. Change one's purpose. Settle in calm steadfastness. Good fortune.
已经卷入争端，，但内心要冷静——回归到正确的立场和态度上来，事情就能好转。最重要的是改变自己的姿态，而不是在争执里硬撑。
You're already caught in a dispute — — now stay cool. Return to the right standpoint and posture, and things will turn. What matters most is changing your own stance, not winning the argument.
九五，讼，元吉。Dealing with the dispute. Sublime good fortune.
你站在公正的一方，纠纷会以对你有利的方式收场。但前提是你确实持中守正，不偏不倚——不是仗势欺人。
You're standing on the side of justice, and the matter will close in your favor. But this is true only if you really are standing in the middle — not abusing your position. Being centered and fair is the precondition.
上九，或锡之鞶带，终朝三褫之。Perhaps a leather sash is bestowed. By the end of the morning, it is stripped away three times.
即便最终赢了官司、得了荣誉，，过程中树立的敌意会反复回头找你。这种“赢”其实没什么值得高兴的——能不打就别打。
Even if you win the case and pick up the honors, the enmity you've built up will keep coming back at you. This kind of "win" isn't really worth celebrating. If a fight can be avoided, avoid it.