The Great Treatise says: The Book of Changes is vast and great.

「我有好爵，吾與爾靡之」者，亦是言至誠相待之故也。夫美好之爵，不自獨有，宜與爾同類之人共分而靡之，是言結之深，用心不私，至公至正也。然此引而證之者，葢明聖人之言行當擬議而行之，言之善者則善者應之，言之惡者則惡者應之。

"I have a good goblet, and I will share it with you," says the same thing about treating each other with utmost sincerity. A beautiful goblet should not be kept to oneself alone, but shared with a fellow person. This indicates the depth of mutual friendship, with sincere hearts and no private intentions, being extremely fair and impartial. Confucius cites these words to illustrate that the words and actions of the sage should first be compared and discussed before being put into practice: if one speaks good words, good responses will come; if one speaks evil words, evil responses will come.

子曰：「君子居其室，出其言善，則千里之外應之，況其邇者乎？」

Confucius said: A gentleman resides in his own house, speaks words that are beautiful and good, and people a thousand miles away will respond to him; how much more so those nearby?

義曰：此孔子因言聖人之言，出於其近以行於逺，出於其內以及於外，出於其身以行於人也。故君子之人凡居其室，出一善言，可以為天下之法，可以興天下之利，雖千里之逺而人皆從之，況於邇近之人乎？

This is what Confucius uses to illustrate: the words of a sage originate from near at hand and spread to the distant, originate from within the inner chamber and extend to the outside world, originate from oneself and are applied to others. Therefore, a gentleman, even while staying in his house, if he utters a single word of virtue, it can become the standard for the whole world to follow, bringing benefit to the entire realm. Even if he is thousands of miles away, people will follow him, let alone those nearby.

「居其室，出其言不善，則千里之外違之，況其邇者乎？」

A gentleman who resides in his house and speaks words that are not virtuous will have people a thousand miles away turning away from him, let alone those nearby.

義曰：言君子之人凡居其室，出一言不善，則不可為天下之法，不能除天下之害，不能興天下之利，則千里之人皆違而不從之，況邇近乎？

This means that a gentleman, while living in his house, if he utters a single unkind word, cannot become a model for the world to follow, cannot remove calamities from the world, cannot bring about benefits for the world; then people far away will all turn away and not follow him, let alone those nearby.

「言出乎身，加乎民；行發乎邇，見乎逺。言行，君子之樞機。」

Words spoken from one's own heart are passed on to the people; actions initiated from near at hand manifest themselves in distant places. Speech and conduct are the most crucial pivot and lever for the gentleman.

義曰：樞者，戶樞，司其通塞之道；機者，弩牙，主其矢之中否也。夫言戶樞之發，或明或暗，主其通塞之道；弩牙之發，或中或否，主其發矢之中，猶君子之人言行有善有不善者也。

"The 'shu' is the door pivot, controlling the opening and closing of a door; 'ji' is the tooth on the crossbow mechanism, determining whether the arrow hits or misses. When the door pivot turns, it may bring light or darkness into the room, controlling the flow and blockage. When the crossbow tooth is triggered, the arrow may hit or miss, deciding whether it hits its target. This is exactly like the words and actions of a gentleman, which may be virtuous or not virtuous."

夫君子之言行，出之於身，行之於外，自邇而及逺，由中而及外。若發而為善，則天下從而法則之；若發而不善，則天下從而違去之。是言行之出為命為令，有得有失，若尸樞之主通塞，猶弩牙之有中否，中則為天下之榮，否則為天下之辱，是言行者君子之樞機也。

A gentleman's words and deeds originate from himself, are carried out in the world, and are extended from near to far, from within to external things. When they are expressed as good and virtuous, the people of the world follow them as a model; when they are expressed as not good and virtuous, the people of the world turn away from them. Therefore, once words and deeds are spoken, they become the commands and decrees of governance, with both gains and losses. It is like the door hinge that controls opening and closing, or the trigger of a crossbow that determines hitting or missing: hitting brings glory to the world, missing brings disgrace to the world. Therefore, words and deeds are the pivot and mechanism of a gentleman.

「樞機之發，榮辱之主也。」

Once the key mechanism is set in motion, glory or disgrace is thereby determined.

義曰：言行者本由君子之出，發之中與不中，是榮辱之主也。

Speech and action both originate from the gentleman himself. Whether they are appropriate or not after they are expressed determines the distinction between honor and disgrace.

「言行，君子之所以動天地也，可不慎乎？」

"Words and actions are the means by which a gentleman moves heaven and earth; how can they not be taken seriously?"

義曰：夫君子之言行有善有不善，必當思慮之。若思之不精，慮之不深，則言之不善矣，善與不善皆動之於天地也。故《書》曰「天聰明自我民聰明，天明威自我民明威」，言天體雖髙而下聽於卑矣。

A gentleman's words and deeds may be good or not good, so he must think carefully. If his thinking is not refined and his consideration not profound, then his words will be inappropriate. Yet regardless of whether they are appropriate or not, they will move heaven and earth. Therefore, the Book of Documents, the Gao Yao Chapter, says: "Heaven's perception and hearing are manifested through the perception and hearing of the people; Heaven's rewards and punishments and its majesty are also manifested through the people's commendations and criticisms." This means that although the heavens are high above, they bend down to listen to the voices of the humble people below.

夫君子之言善，則為號令以除天下之害，以興天下之利，天下之人和樂而從之。民既和之，則善聲動於天；善聲動於天，則上天降其福。若言之不善，不能興天下之利，不能除天下之害，則天下之人嗟怨而不從之；天下之人既嗟怨而不從之，則怨氣瀆於天；怨氣瀆於天，則上天降之以禍。是君子之言行出則動乎天地，必當精心而致思之，可不戒慎乎？

A gentleman, if his words are beautiful and good, can transform them into decrees to eliminate the calamities of the world and promote its benefits, and the people will harmoniously and joyfully follow him. When the people are harmonious and joyful, the beautiful and good sounds will ascend to heaven; when the beautiful and good sounds ascend to heaven, heaven will bestow blessings. Conversely, if his words are not beautiful and good, he cannot promote the benefits of the world nor eliminate its calamities, and the people will sigh and resent, unwilling to follow. When the people sigh and resent and do not follow, their grievances will ascend to heaven; when the grievances ascend to heaven, heaven will bring calamities. Thus, the words and deeds of a gentleman, once spoken, can move heaven and earth. Therefore, he must carefully and repeatedly consider them, how could he not be cautious and vigilant?

「同人先號咷而後笑。」

The Line Statement of the Nine in the Fifth of the Hexagram of Fellowship says: In the process of harmonizing with others, one first loudly weeps, but later turns to laughter.

義曰：此是《同人》九五之辭。言《同人》之九五下應於六二，然有九三九四為己之寇難，六二以至誠相待，雖為三四寇難，終得為正應也。然此引之者，凡《易》之辭有理義未盡者，孔子復引而明之。言《同人》之九五始為三四寇難，不得與二為應，是先號咷也；然二五至誠相應，終得遇，是後笑也。故因此言行陳其至誠之道，故引以為義也。

This is the line statement of the ninth line in the fifth position of the卦 of Tong Ren. The ninth line in the fifth position reaches down to correspond with the sixth line in the second position, but the ninth lines in the third and fourth positions block the way in between. The sixth line in the second position responds with utmost sincerity, though hindered by the third and fourth lines, ultimately achieving the proper correspondence. Confucius cites this line because the wording in the Zhou Changes sometimes does not fully express the meaning, so he brings it up again to clarify. Initially, the ninth line in the fifth position is blocked by the third and fourth lines and cannot correspond with the sixth line in the second position, which is referred to as "first crying." Later, the second and fifth lines correspond with utmost sincerity and eventually meet, which is called "later laughing." Therefore, Confucius uses the discussion of words and deeds to explain the way of utmost sincerity, and thus cites this line statement to elucidate the meaning.

子曰：「君子之道，或出或處。」

Confucius said: The way of a gentleman to stand and live in the world is sometimes to take office and serve, and sometimes to retire and keep to himself.

義曰：夫君子之人懷才抱道，有經邦濟世之才，若遇其時、遇其君，則進登王者之朝以濟天下之民，故曰或出；若不遭其時、不遇其君，則守其至正之道，待時而動，故曰或處。

A virtuous person possesses talent and knowledge, and has the ability to govern the country and save the world: if he encounters a favorable situation and meets a suitable ruler, he enters the court of a wise king to rescue the people, which is called 'or chu' (emergence); if he does not encounter a favorable situation or meet a suitable ruler, he remains steadfast in his principles, waiting for the right moment to act, which is called 'or chu' (retention).

「或黙或語。」

Sometimes it remains silent, sometimes it speaks out.

義曰：夫君子之人凡居於室，不可以妄語，但寂然不言，黙然不語；或當可言之時，必精思而慎慮之，然後可言也。夫如是，雖言滿天下無口過，行滿天下無怨惡，使天下之人莫不恱而從之，而其心一歸於大中之道也。

A gentleman, when at home in peace, should not speak carelessly or at random; he should remain quiet and silent, refraining from making remarks. When it is appropriate to speak, he must first think carefully and weigh things carefully before he opens his mouth. If he can do this, even if his words spread throughout the world, he will not incur verbal mistakes. Even if his actions extend across the world, he will not provoke resentment. Thus, all people will willingly follow him, and the hearts of the people will be united in the middle and upright path.

然則君子之人，同類相應，同心相得，不必同其道然後言之。至如禹稷事於堯朝，憂天下之飢如己之飢，憂天下之溺如己之溺；又顏子一簞食，一瓢飲，在陋巷，人不堪其憂，孟子謂禹稷顏回同道；又如箕子佯狂殷紂，子去之，比干諫而死，是皆其心異而其道同也。惟君子之言必當擬而後言，議而後動，則語黙出處自然合於道矣。

However, among gentlemen, those of the same kind naturally correspond to each other, and those with the same heart naturally harmonize with each other. They do not need to follow exactly the same path to be considered consistent. For example, Da Yu and Hou Ji served in Yao's court, worrying about the people's hunger as if it were their own, and worrying about the people's drowning as if they themselves were drowning. Yan Hui had a single basket of rice and a gourd of water, living in a humble alley, while others could not endure such poverty, yet he remained content and joyful. Mencius therefore said that Da Yu, Hou Ji, and Yan Hui all walked the same path. Another example is Ji Zi, who feigned madness in the time of King Zhou of Yin, Wei Zi who chose to leave, and Bi Gan who was executed for his advice—each took a different course, yet they all upheld the same principle. As long as gentlemen first compare before speaking and first deliberate before acting, whether they speak or remain silent, whether they go out or stay within, they will naturally conform to the Way.

「二人同心，其利斷金。」

Two people with the same mind possess a sharpness capable of cutting through metal.

義曰：金者，至堅之物也。夫君子之人推誠以待物，則物以至誠待於己，凡是同心同類之人皆感悅而從之，不必求同於己之道者，但其心一同則可也。至如二人同心，合謀共慮，成天下之能事，雖至纎至悉之利，亦可以斷截堅剛之金，是同心之人至利者也。

Gold is the hardest substance. The gentleman treats external things with sincerity, and external things will respond to him with the utmost sincerity. All those who share the same heart and kindred spirits will be moved and delighted, and thus come to him. One does not need to force others to follow the same path; as long as the hearts are in agreement, it is sufficient. For example, if two people share the same mind, they can plan together and think together, thus accomplishing difficult tasks under heaven. That combined strength, even though it is as subtle and precise as the sharpness of a blade, is enough to cut through the hardest metal. Thus, the power of those with the same heart is the sharpest.

「同心之言，其臭如蘭。」

"Words spoken by those with the same heart carry a fragrant scent like orchids."

義曰：臭者，香氣也；蘭者，香草也。言君子之人既能同心同徳，合謀共慮，吐言發語有馨香之臭氣，如芝蘭之馥郁芬芳，以達於天地之間也。

"Chou" here refers to smell or fragrance, and "lan" is a fragrant herb. This means that when a gentleman is in harmony with others, sharing the same aspirations and working together, his words will carry a fragrant aroma, like orchids and musk, spreading widely throughout the heavens and earth.

「初六，藉用白茅，無咎。」子曰：「苟錯諸地而可矣，藉之用茅，何咎之有？慎之至也。」

The Line Statement of the first line of the Great Excess hexagram says: Using clean reed grass as a mat, there will be no mistake. Confucius said: Originally, placing things directly on the ground was sufficient, yet they still use reed grass as a mat, where could there be a mistake? This is being extremely cautious.

義曰：自此已下當連上文為一章，註疏以此為第七章之始，非也，當連上文。則是此是《大過》初六之爻辭也。夫《大過》之時，政教陵遲，紀綱廢墜，上下失道，本末衰弱，惟是有大才徳之人過越常分以拯救之。然聖賢之人雖過越常分以拯救天下之事，然居事之始，不可不慎重之，苟不能慎重之，則害於成事而以災其身。

Hu Yuan remarked: From here on, it should continue the previous text, belonging to the same chapter; the annotated versions mistakenly take this as the beginning of the seventh chapter, which is incorrect. It should be read in connection with the preceding text. This sentence is the line statement of the first line of the initial hexagram of Great Excess. In the time of Great Excess, government orders and moral education have declined, the principles and laws have been abandoned, and both superiors and inferiors have deviated from the right path. The root and the branches are both weak. Only those with outstanding talent and virtue can go beyond the conventional to save the situation. However, even sages who go beyond the conventional to save the world must be especially cautious in the initial stage of affairs. If they are not cautious, they will hinder the success of the matter and bring disaster upon themselves.

夫置器於地，必安全而無傾覆之事，今置器於地，又以潔白之茅薦藉之，是過慎之至也。既過慎之，則安全而無傾覆也。故孔子因論君子擬議其言行，故以此明慎事之始，如置器於地，又藉以白茅，是慎之至也，何咎之有乎？

Placing an object on the ground is naturally stable and will not topple. Now, placing it on the ground and using white reed grass as a cushion underneath is an excess of caution. Since it is so cautious, it will naturally be stable and not topple. Therefore, after Confucius discussed the need for a gentleman to first compare and discuss words and deeds, he used this line statement to illustrate the importance of being cautious at the beginning of an action. Placing an object on the ground and cushioning it with white reed grass is an extreme form of caution, so where could there be any mistake?

「夫茅之為物薄，而用可重也。慎斯術也以徃，其無所失矣。」

Maocao is a cheap thing, but its use can be very valuable. If this careful method is carried on continuously, there will be no mistakes.

義曰：夫茅之為物雖柔弱菲薄，然祭祀之時必取而為用，以薦藉宗廟之靈，雖為物甚微，然有潔白柔順之質，其用也重矣。聖人因其慎事之始，又取茅之所用之重，以明慎重之術，以此而徃，則無所失。且天過之事尚且如此，況於小小之事乎？

Though reed grass is weak and lowly, it is necessarily used in sacrifices to serve as a covering for the offerings presented to the ancestral temples and deities. Though it is a small object, it possesses the qualities of purity and gentleness, making it highly valuable. The sage, considering both the importance of being cautious at the beginning of any undertaking and the high value of reed grass, uses this to illustrate the method of proceeding with care. By following this approach, there will be no mistakes. Even the Great Exceeding, which is an extraordinary matter, follows this principle, so how much more so should ordinary matters?

「勞謙，君子有終，吉。」

The Line Statement of the Third Line of the Qian卦 (Modesty) says: Diligent yet modest, the gentleman can maintain good beginning and end, thus being auspicious.

義曰：此是《謙》卦九三之爻辭也。夫《謙》之九三以陽居陽，在下卦之上，以位言之則居得其正，以身言之則在人臣之極位，上奉於君，下在百官之上，其責至重，其職非輕。是以上則勞謙以事於君，下則勞謙以接於人，不以勤勞為慮，常惟曠官之責。夫如是，是「勞謙君子有終」者也。

This is the line statement of the third line of the Qian hexagram. The third line is a yang line occupying a yang position, located at the top of the lower trigram. In terms of position, it is in the correct place; in terms of status, it has reached the highest position among officials. It serves the sovereign above and holds the position of the head of all officials below, bearing a very heavy responsibility and a serious duty. Therefore, it serves the sovereign with diligence and humility above, and attends to the people with diligence and humility below, never considering the hardship, but constantly worrying about being idle in office and failing to fulfill its duties. If one can do this, then it is said, "Diligent humility, the gentleman has a good ending."

然則必言「君子之終」者何也？夫小人之性亦有謙順之時，然其心易變，朝行而夕改，不能終始而行之。唯其君子之人，慎始至終，有其本末，故云君子終吉也。

So why is it said that "the gentleman has a consistent end"? Because the nature of a petty person may also have moments of humility and gentleness, but his mind is easily fickle; he may act in this way in the morning but change by evening, unable to maintain consistency from beginning to end. Only the gentleman is cautious from the start and remains consistent throughout, fulfilling both the beginning and the end. Therefore, it is said that the gentleman can ultimately achieve auspiciousness.

在古之時，惟周公可以當也。夫周公是文王之子，武王之弟，成王之叔。當周之時而相武王伐紂，一戎衣而天下定。迨夫成王幼弱，己居三公之責，攝天子之位，握天下之重，權位非不尊也，權非不重也，天下非不歸也，而周公盡人臣之忠節，竭人臣之思慮以事於沖君，復制禮作樂，朝諸侯於明堂，天下臣民陶然而歸之。

Among ancient people, only the Duke of Zhou was worthy of this statement. The Duke of Zhou was the son of King Wen, the younger brother of King Wu, and the uncle of King Cheng. When the Zhou dynasty was just established, he assisted King Wu in conquering the Shang dynasty, and with a single military campaign, he brought peace to the world. When King Cheng was young and weak, he held the position of one of the Three Dukes and acted on behalf of the Son of Heaven, holding the great power of the world: his status could not be said to be anything but exalted, his authority could not be said to be anything but great, and the hearts of the people could not be said to be anything but devoted to him. Yet the Duke of Zhou still fully upheld the loyalty and integrity of a minister, and used all his deep strategies and foresight to serve the young sovereign. He also created the rites and music, and in the Bright Hall received the homage of the feudal lords, so that all the people of the world gladly submitted to him.

然周公之心猶且吐哺握髮以下白屋之士，上盡忠節以奉於君，下盡謙恭以下於人，自古至今未有如周公之徳者也。

However, the thoughts of the Duke of Zhou remained focused on: spitting out food while eating, and leaving the house with wet hair after washing his head to receive guests, showing humility and respect to those from humble backgrounds. He was fully loyal and steadfast in serving his sovereign, and showed extreme humility, always placing others before himself. From ancient times to the present, no one's virtue has surpassed that of the Duke of Zhou.

子曰：「勞而不伐，有功而不徳，厚之至也。」

Confucius said: To be diligent without boasting, and to have merit without claiming virtue, this is the extreme of sincerity and integrity.

義曰：此孔子因言君子勞謙以成功業，又不自矜伐其功、逞已之徳、稱為己善者也。在古之時，惟夏禹可以當也。夫夏禹事於堯舜之朝，洪水滔天，浩浩懐山襄陵，下民昏墊，天下之人物幾魚鱉矣。

This is what Confucius meant to illustrate: a gentleman achieves accomplishments through diligence and humility, without boasting about his merits, without showing off his virtue, and without taking credit for the benefits. Among the ancients, only Yu of the Xia Dynasty was worthy of this. When Yu served in the court of Yao and Shun, the floods were vast and overwhelming, encircling mountains and overflowing hills. The people below were submerged, and almost all the people of the world were turned into fish and turtles.

而禹獨以聖人之徳，盡已之力，竭己之謀慮，周行天下，疏河決導，尋源分派，以通水之性，成其功業，天下之人得免魚鱉之患，此禹功之最大者也。自古至今，天下莫有及禹之功者也。

Only Grand Yu, with the virtue of a sage, exerted himself fully, used all his wisdom, and traveled throughout the land, dredging rivers, opening blockages, seeking sources, and guiding tributaries, allowing the water to flow freely, thus achieving this great accomplishment and saving the people from the danger of becoming food for fish and turtles. This was the greatest achievement of Grand Yu. From ancient times to the present, no one's contribution has matched that of Grand Yu.

然禹不自以為功，故舜舉之曰：「汝惟不伐，天下莫與汝爭功；汝惟不矜，天下莫與汝爭能。」是大禹不自矜伐其功徳也，此是徳厚至極者也。

But Yu did not consider himself to have merited any special merit, so Shun praised him, saying, "Because you do not boast, no one in the world will compete with you for merit; because you do not be proud, no one will compete with you for ability." This is precisely what is meant by Yu's not boasting or being conceited about his achievements. This is the ultimate expression of sincerity and humility.

「語以其功下人者也。」

"This refers to him being even more humble and willing to be below others despite his own merits."

義曰：上既言「勞謙君子有終」、「有功而不徳」，故此大《易》之道語說《謙》卦之九三，能以謙順之功卑下於人者也。

The previous discussion explained "Toil in humility, the gentleman has a proper conclusion" and "having merit without virtue." Therefore, the Zhou Changes are here referring to the third line of the Qian hexagram: he is able to place himself below others through his humble and gentle actions.

「徳言盛，禮言恭。」

In terms of virtue, it requires fullness; in terms of etiquette, it requires respect.

義曰：夫君子之徳以盛為本，苟不盛大之，則不足以為徳，故「徳言盛」者，取其日新之謂也。「禮言恭」者，夫君子之行禮必以謙順為本，以恭敬為先，苟不能恭敬而行之，亦不足謂之禮，故「禮言恭」者，取其恭順之謂也。

A gentleman's virtue lies in its fullness; if it cannot become grand and flourishing, it cannot be called virtue. Therefore, it is said 'virtue is about its fullness,' which refers precisely to the meaning of the previous statement 'to renew daily is called great virtue.' As for 'ritual is about reverence,' this is because a gentleman, when practicing ritual, must necessarily take humility and gentleness as its foundation, and reverence as its primary concern. If reverence is not achieved, it cannot be called ritual. Therefore, it is said 'ritual is about reverence,' which refers precisely to the meaning of reverence and compliance.

「謙也者，致恭以存其位者也。」

"所谓谦,就是极度恭敬以保持自己的地位。"

義曰：夫君子之人在人臣之極位，處百官之上，必當盡恭順之節以事於君，懷恭順之誠以接於下，然後可以存乎其位也。若居人臣之極位，在百官之上，不能盡恭順之節以事於君，不能懷恭順之誠以接於下，則不能保其祿位也，必須致恭然後可存其位也。

A virtuous person, having attained the highest position among officials and standing above all others, must fully observe the proper rites of respect towards the sovereign, and sincerely show respect to subordinates, in order to maintain his position. Conversely, if one holds the highest position among officials yet fails to show proper respect to the sovereign and lacks sincere respect towards subordinates, he will not be able to retain his rank and position. Therefore, one must fully demonstrate respect in order to hold onto this position.

「亢龍有悔。」子曰：「貴而無位，髙而無民，賢人在下位而無輔，是以動而有悔也。」

The Line Statement of the Upper Ninth line of the Qian hexagram says: The dragon flies too high, leading to regret. Confucius explains that he holds a noble status but lacks an actual title, his position is lofty but without the people's support, the virtuous are present but do not assist him, hence any action brings regret.

義曰：上既明謙徳保位，此明無謙則有悔也，故引《乾》卦上九之辭以證之。夫《乾》之上九處一卦之極，過於九五，在窮極之地，是知進而不知退，知存而不知亡也。夫君子之人若能居富貴之位，不自髙亢，執其謙順，則可保其位而獲吉也；若不能謙順，是為亢龍之悔咎矣。

The previous text explained how maintaining humility ensures one's position, while this passage shows that lacking humility leads to regret. Therefore, it cites the line statement of the Upper Nine from the Qian hexagram to illustrate this point. The Upper Nine is at the very top of the hexagram, surpassing the Nine in the Fifth, and has reached the extreme limit. It is in a situation where it only knows to advance but not to retreat, only to preserve but not to face failure. If a gentleman holds a position of wealth and honor without becoming arrogant, and remains humble, respectful, and gentle, he can retain his position and achieve good fortune. But if he fails to be humble and respectful, he will suffer regret and misfortune like the "exalted dragon."

子曰「貴而無位，髙而無民」者，夫人君之位止於九五，今上九之爻過於九五，失其中道而在窮極之地，是天下之民不與也，故云「貴而無位，髙而無民」者。夫欲率天下之民，莫非有才有位然後可以無悔，今上九已過中道，越於九五，雖居徳位之尊，奈何天下之民皆歸於九五，上九之爻則是髙而無民也。

Confucius said, "Though exalted without a position, though lofty without the people," because the position of the ruler only reaches the Nine in the Fifth; now the Nine at the Top has surpassed the Nine in the Fifth, losing the correct path of the center, and has fallen into the extreme. The people of the world do not support him, so it is said he is exalted without a real position and lofty without the people. To lead the people of the world, one must have both ability and position, to avoid regret. The Nine at the Top has gone beyond the middle path and surpassed the Nine in the Fifth. Although it still holds a lofty position in name, since the people of the world all turn to the Nine in the Fifth, the Nine at the Top naturally becomes lofty without the people.

「賢人在下位而無輔，是以動而有悔也」者，夫天下之賢，患乎不用；既得其用，患乎不才；既有其才，患乎無君；既有其君，即盡忠竭節以事之。今上九之爻過於九五，在窮極無位之地，則是無權之人也。雖天下賢才至眾，但甘於藜藿，處於蒿萊，不輔於上九過亢之人也，是以上九動靜之間，必須有其悔吝也。

As for "The virtuous person is in a low position and lacks support, hence when he acts, there is regret," this refers to the fact that throughout the world, the virtuous initially worry about not being appointed; once appointed, they fear their abilities are insufficient; once they have ability, they fear they meet an unjust ruler; once they meet a wise ruler, they devote themselves fully to serving him. Now, the upper nine line surpasses the nine in the fifth, and is in a position of extreme height without actual authority, in reality being a person without power. Although there are many virtuous talents in the world, they would rather eat coarse wild vegetables and live in seclusion among wild grasses than assist this overly exalted person. Therefore, regardless of whether the upper nine acts or remains still, he inevitably brings regret and sorrow.

「不出戶庭，無咎。」

The Line Statement of the first line of the "Jie" hexagram says: If one does not step out of one's own door, there will be no fault.

義曰：此《節》卦初九之爻辭也。上既言《乾》之上九不知進退，恃其崇髙之位，生其驕亢之心，以至其道窮極，動有悔吝，此又言聖賢語黙之間必當周宻，故引此《節》卦初九之辭以證之。

This is the line statement of the initial line of the卦 of节. The previous text discussed the upper line of the卦 of乾, which spoke of the nine at the top not knowing when to advance or retreat, relying on his lofty position to develop a proud and lofty heart, leading to a dead end, and any movement brings regret. Here, it further explains that sages must be meticulous and cautious between speaking and remaining silent, so it cites the line statement of the initial line of the卦 of节 to confirm this point.

夫節之為道，節人之情，防人之慾，禁民之非，止民之偽，天下之所惡聞、人情之所不願者也。凡君子之人為節之道，必當慎重而周宻，不可使人窺覩。若一漏洩其幾，則人之情偽奸詐萬狀叢然而生，壞於成事。如是，則法出而奸生，令下而詐起耳。故君子凡節天下，不可不周宻之，苟能周宻慎重，不露其芒角，使小人不得間而窺，則可免其過咎矣。

The way of restraint involves controlling human emotions, preventing desires, prohibiting unlawful actions by the people, and stopping deceitful behavior. This is inherently something people do not like to hear and is not something human nature is willing to accept. Therefore, when a gentleman promotes the way of restraint, he must be cautious and thorough, not allowing others to discover the details. Once the key aspects are revealed, people will quickly resort to various deceitful methods, thereby ruining what has already been established. In such a case, when laws are just issued, misconduct arises, and when orders are just given, fraud emerges. Therefore, a gentleman who wishes to restrain the world must not fail to be thorough and cautious; if he can be thorough and cautious, not exposing his sharp edges, so that the wicked cannot find any openings to exploit, he can avoid mistakes.

子曰：「亂之所生也，則言語以為階。」

Confucius said: The origin of calamity often comes from using words as a step to climb gradually.

義曰：階者，梯階，人之所履也。夫亂之所生也，皆言語以為之梯階。夫君子之人排斥奸邪，創立制度，必當慎其言語，苟言之不慎，則亂之所由矣，是故亂之生皆自言語以為之梯階也。

"Stair" refers to steps, which are the things people step on as they ascend. Chaos arises because people treat words as steps for climbing upward. A gentleman must exclude wickedness and establish systems, and must be cautious with his words; once he speaks carelessly, it becomes the source of chaos. Therefore, the emergence of chaos is always through words as steps.

「君不宻則失臣。」

If the ruler cannot keep secrets, he will lose his ministers.

義曰：夫為臣之道，盡忠竭節以諌於君，成興天下之利，或除天下之害，或斥言奸邪，或指陳僭忒。與君同謀共慮，君不能慎宻，彰露其事，為眾所共聞，則人生嫉妬之心，以至失臣之身也。

A minister's duty is to offer loyal and righteous advice to the sovereign: either to achieve the benefit of the world, or to eliminate its calamities, or to openly rebuke wicked people, or to point out acts that exceed proper bounds. When a minister collaborates with the sovereign in planning matters, if the sovereign fails to keep them confidential and spreads the information widely, making it known to all, others will develop feelings of resentment and jealousy, eventually leading to the loss of the minister's life.

「臣不宻則失身。」

A minister or subject who cannot keep a secret will lose his own life.

義曰：夫人慾興天下之利，除天下之害，成一時之功，為萬世之法，以鼎新天下之法制者，必當慎其幾，藏其宻也。苟言行之有虧失，聞之於外，為人之所疾害，則是自害失其身也。

A person who wishes to promote the benefit of the world and eliminate its calamities, to achieve great accomplishments in his time and establish enduring laws for future generations, and to reform the laws of the world must be cautious about the key aspects and keep secrets well concealed. If there is any negligence in speech or action, and the secret is heard by outsiders, leading to resentment and false accusations from others, then it would be self-inflicted harm, resulting in the loss of one's life.

「幾事不宻則害成，是以君子慎宻而不出也。」

The key matters cannot be kept secret; calamity thus arises, so the gentleman guards secrets carefully and does not easily reveal them.

義曰：言君子之人幾宻之事不可不慎。苟一漏洩其幾，為小人之所窺覩，則奸邪互生，情偽交作，害廢於成事，敗壞於法制，如是則天下從而亂矣。是以君子凡立成事、謀議奸邪，不可不為之慎宻，是以君子慎宻而不出也。

This refers to the fact that a gentleman must not be careless about matters of importance and secrecy. Once such secrets are revealed, they may be seen by small people, leading to the proliferation of wickedness and the emergence of deceit. Established affairs will be ruined, and established laws and regulations will be destroyed, thus causing chaos throughout the world. Therefore, a gentleman, when seeking to achieve great deeds or planning how to deal with wickedness, must not neglect caution and secrecy. Hence it is said that a gentleman guards his secrets carefully and does not easily speak them out.

子曰：「作《易》者，其知盜乎？」

Confucius said: The person who compiled the Zhou Changes must have understood how thieves are attracted.