Hexagram 16

豫 Yù

Enthusiasm

☳ Thunder above ☷ Earth

Judgment 卦辭

利建侯行師。

豫yùreadiness, willingness, responsive movement
利lìworthwhile, rewarding, beneficial
建jiànto enlist, appoint, install, establish
侯hóudelegates, chiefs, lord archers; priorities
行xíngto move, advance, mobilize, deploy
師shīthe militia, military, reserves, army

Commentary

Enthusiasm. It furthers one to install helpers and set armies marching. The time is right because an eminent person acts in harmony with the spirit of the people. Energy rises and finds direction.

Classical Text

豫坤下震上 豫，利建侯、行師。

Yu (Enthusiasm): Kun (Earth) below, Zhen (Thunder) above. Enthusiasm. It is beneficial to install feudal lords and to set armies marching.

Image 象

雷出地奮，豫。先王以作樂崇德，殷薦之上帝，以配祖考。

Thunder comes bursting out of the earth. Ancient kings made music to honor merit, offering it to the Supreme Deity, inviting ancestors to be present. Enthusiasm channeled through ritual creates meaning.

Lines 爻辭

1

鳴豫凶

鳴míngproclaiming, expressing, announcing; vocal
豫yùreadiness, willingness, enthusiasm
凶xiōngdisappointing, foreboding, inauspicious

Enthusiasm that expresses itself. Misfortune. Enthusiasm that announces itself—showing off, calling attention—this brings bad results. Display undercuts the power.

Classical commentary

初六，鳴豫，凶。

Initial Six: Proclaiming enthusiasm — misfortune.

2

介于石不終日貞吉

介jièresolved, bounded, set, inscribed; harder
于yúin, with, by, as; than
石shístone, rocks
不bùthere will be no, with no; will not; an un-
終zhōngend, close, conclusion to; ending
日rìthe day
貞zhēnpersistence, steadiness, resolve, staying power
吉jípromising, auspicious, opportune, timely

Firm as stone. Not waiting till the end of the day. Perseverance brings good fortune. Knowing when to stop before excess—recognizing limits early. This grounded awareness is correct.

Classical commentary

六二，介于石，不終日，貞吉。

Six in the Second: Firm as a stone, not waiting till the end of the day — correctness brings good fortune.

3

盱豫悔遲有悔

盱xūwide-eyed, amazed, astonished, bug-eyed
豫yùreadiness, willingness, enthusiasm
悔huǐregrettable, regretted; will repent
遲chíthe slow, late, tardy, hesitant, delayed
有yǒuwill have, earn, learn; one has
悔huǐregrets, remorse; to repent

Looking upward for enthusiasm brings regret. Delay brings regret. Looking elsewhere for what must come from within—or hesitating when the moment requires action. Either way, regret.

Classical commentary

六三，盱豫，悔，遲有悔。

Six in the Third: Looking upward in enthusiasm — regret. Hesitating brings regret.

4

由豫大有得勿疑朋盍簪

由yóuat the source, spring, beginning, causes
豫yùreadiness, willingness, enthusiasm
大dàthere is with much, a lot, great deal
有yǒuto have, own, possess, take on, claim
得déto gain, attain, acquire, accept, take
勿wùdo not; have, permit, allow no
疑yíhesitation; uncertainty, doubt, distrust
朋péngcompanions, friends, associates, allies
盍hégather, unite, assemble, joined
簪zānas, like hair by a clasp, ring, pin, snood

The source of enthusiasm. Great achievement. No doubt—friends gather like hair clasped in a pin. You are the origin of the energy. Others collect around you naturally. Doubt has no place here.

Classical commentary

九四，由豫，大有得。勿疑，朋盍簪。

Nine in the Fourth: The source of enthusiasm — there is great gain. Do not doubt, and friends will gather swiftly.

5

貞疾恆不死

貞zhēnpersistent, steady, constant; persisting
疾jíaffliction, anxiety, distress, disease, illness
恆hénga long time, enduring, lasting; chronic
不bùwithout; avoiding; with no; but not
死sǐdying; death, mortality; fatal, terminal

Persistently ill, yet never dies. Pressure sustained indefinitely—somehow surviving without thriving. The enthusiasm meets constant resistance but endures.

Classical commentary

六五，貞疾，恒不死。

Six in the Fifth: Steadfastly afflicted, yet perpetually does not perish.

6

冥豫成有渝無咎

冥míngblind, dark, obscure; confused, deluded
豫yùreadiness, willingness, enthusiasm, faith
成chéngaccomplish, achieving, achievement, success
有yǒuwhile, but to assuming; there will be
渝yúa change for worse, revision, setbacks
無wúno, not; avoids
咎jiùblame, harmful; mistakes, errors

Deluded enthusiasm. But if it changes after completion, no blame. Enthusiasm based on illusion—yet if realization comes after the action, no blame remains. You can learn from completed mistakes.

Classical commentary

上六，冥豫，成有渝，无咎。

Top Six: Enthusiasm in darkness — though it has been completed, there is change. No blame.