Reading
Judgment
Decrease combined with truthfulness
brings sublime good fortune without blame.
One can be persevering in it.
It is favorable to undertake something.
How does one practice this?
One may use two small bowls for the sacrifice.
Decrease does not under all circumstances mean something bad. Increase and decrease come in their time. Here it is a matter of finding one's way into the time and not wanting to cover up poverty with empty appearance. If through a time of lesser things an inner truth comes to expression, one need not be ashamed of simplicity. It is then precisely the right thing, which bestows inner strength through which one can again undertake something. One may have no misgivings even if the outer beauty of culture, indeed even the shaping of religious relationships, has to suffer under simplicity. One must take something from the strength of the inner disposition and add it to the meagerness of the outer appearance as a substitute. Then the strength of substance helps over the plainness of form. Before God one does not need false appearance. Even with meager means the disposition of the heart can come to expression.
Image
At the foot of the mountain is the lake: the image of Decrease.
Thus the noble one tames their anger and restrains their drives.
The lake at the foot of the mountain evaporates. Thereby it is decreased in favor of the mountain, which is enriched through its moisture. The mountain is the image of stubborn strength, which can condense into anger; the lake is the image of uncontrolled merriment, which can develop into passionate drives if it develops at the cost of the life forces. Here it is a matter of decrease: anger must be decreased through keeping still; the drives must be restrained through restriction. Through this decrease of the lower forces of the soul, the higher sides of the soul are enriched.
Commentary
The hexagram represents a decrease of the lower hexagram in favor of the upper, in that the third, originally strong line has moved upward and the originally weak upper line has stepped into its place. The lower is thus diminished at the cost of the upper. But this is decrease in the plain sense. If one diminishes the foundation of a building and strengthens its upper walls, the whole loses in firmness. Likewise a decrease of the prosperity of the people in favor of the government is a decrease in the plain sense. And the whole tendency of the hexagram goes to showing how this shift of prosperity can take place without drying up the sources of prosperity among the people and their lower classes.
Changing Lines
Line 1
A nine at the beginning means:
When business is finished, to go there quickly
is no blame. But one must consider
how far one may decrease others.
Commentary
It is selfless and good when, after taking care of one's own immediately important tasks, one places one's strength in the service of others and, without making much of it or boasting, helps quickly where help is needed. But the person in higher position who is thus helped must carefully consider how much they may accept without essentially harming the helpful servant or friend. Only where such delicacy of feeling is present can one give oneself unreservedly.
Line 2
A nine in the second place means:
Perseverance furthers.
To undertake something brings misfortune.
Without decreasing oneself,
one is able to increase others.
Commentary
A noble self-consciousness and consistent earnestness, which forfeits nothing of itself, is the disposition that is necessary when one wants to serve others. Whoever throws themself away to oblige a superior diminishes their own position without, however, lastingly benefiting the other. This is evil. Without giving oneself up, to serve the other, that alone is the true service of lasting value.
Line 3
A six in the third place means:
When three people wander together,
they are decreased by one person.
When one person wanders, they find their companion.
Commentary
Where three are together, there is jealousy. There one must yield. Closest connection is possible only between two. Where one is solitary, they will surely find their companion who complements them.
Line 4
A six in the fourth place means:
If one decreases their own faults, one causes
the other to come eagerly and have joy.
No blame.
Commentary
Often our faults hinder even well-disposed people from drawing closer to us. These faults are often reinforced and made worse by the surroundings in which we find ourselves. If one can bring oneself to step down and lay them aside, one frees well-disposed friends from an inner pressure and causes them to approach only the more quickly, to mutual joy.
Line 5
A six in the fifth place means:
Someone does indeed increase them.
Ten pairs of tortoises cannot resist it.
Sublime good fortune!
Commentary
When someone is destined by fate to happiness, it comes inevitably. All oracles, such as are obtained for example by tortoise shells, must concur in favorable signs in their favor. They need fear nothing, for their happiness is higher dispensation.
Line 6
A nine at the top means:
If one is increased without decreasing others,
this is no blame. Perseverance brings good fortune.
It is favorable to undertake something.
One gets servants, but no longer has a particular home.
Commentary
There are people who bestow blessing on the whole world. Every increase of strength, every increase granted to them comes to the benefit of all people and therefore means no decrease for others. Through perseverant and eager work one has success and finds helpers as one needs them. But what one effects is not a privately limited advantage, but is open and accessible to everyone.