Yi Jing, Oracle of the Moon

神數

“Shen Shu”, Spirit Numbers 241-264

Numbers
1-24
25-48
49-72
73-96
97-120
121-144
145-168
169-192
193-216
217-240
241-264
265-288
289-312
313-336
337-360
361-384

241 Heaven or hell

一念上天堂
一命入地獄
地獄天堂
便分榮辱
自立念頭要買
不可隨人碌碌

One thought and you rise up to heaven
One thought and you enter hell
Hell and paradise
just a fraction between glory and dishonor
Stand on your own feet
own your intentions
Don’t follow mediocre people

242 The fate of true spirits

羊逸群
日對民
逢牛口
便咬人
一個君一個臣
君臣有些驚
須仗真神, 拯救蒼生

When a sheep escapes the flock
people will correct it within a day
Coming close to the bull’s mouth
man gets bitten
One ruler and one subject
then ruler and subject have troubles
One must battle the true spirits
to save the common people

  逸群 Escape the flock, excel.
  驚 surprise, startle; alarm, stampede, violent; fierce.
  真 〈Dao.〉 original character of human beings; newcomer among the immortals.

243 Knowing the seeds

若是有緣人
一指便回首
執迷不悟者
屢引也不走

If a person can see the seeds
One finger suffices to turn around
Whereas one who persists in error
Is repeatedly seduced
and does not walk from it

  緣reason, fate, predestination.

244 One blue expanse

月兒東升
清光可浥
萬里無雲
海天一碧

The moon child rises in the east
Clear light subtly appears
No clouds in the vast space
Sea and sky one blue expanse

  萬里無雲 cloudless.
  碧 Blue, green, emerald.

245 The male dao

男兒若得封侯印
不負人間走一遭
功成身退
煙霞嘯傲
脫卻紫羅袍
方是男兒道

It seems it is masculine to pursue high office
Not to go entirely against social ways
To retire after winning merit
To be leasurely and carefree in the clouds and mists in twilight
Taking off the purple gauze robe
It is the true direction of the male dao

  印 seal, stamp; tally, conform, original meaning: ‘press down, restrain’.
  羅 silk gauze, also means a net for catching birds.
  封侯pursue high office - see create feudal lords

246 A bewitching woman

心月狐狸
迷惑世人
世人不察
延久傾身

A sentimental moon and a bewitching woman
Enchant and delude the common people
Common people don’t scrutinize it
They invite it for long times
and exhaust their bodies

  狐狸 Huli, bewitching woman, literally fox and raccoon.

247 Shaken up but not destroyed

驀地狂風起
大樹盡掀揚
枝葉未凋零
培植終無恙

Suddenly a gale-force wind rises
Big trees are raised up to their limits
Branches and leaves did not scatter about
Cultivation is safe and sound in the end

248 A fortunate empty day

虛日旺相
法要推尋
四周旋繞
對敵沖營

The empty day has a prosperous appearance
A law which asks for examination
Orbit all around
And charge the opponent’s camp

  相 physiognomy, face, appearance, also like in fortune telling.
  虛日empty day, day on which nothing (has to) happen.

249 Adapt to changes

榮枯早定莫嗟傷
辛苦他邦
安享家鄉
為他人作嫁衣裳
今日君嘗
他年改調別人嘗

Ups and downs fixed early cause no moans and distress
Working hard in the country
Or living in ease and comfort in your hometown
On account of others you earn a living and clothing
Today the ruler’s taste
In another year things change and one adjusts to another person’s taste

250 Daughter big

女兒大喜臨門
嫁良人添子孫
同拜受感皇恩

Daughter big
Happiness arrives
Marries a fine man
Adds children and grandchildren
All receive honor
Feeling the favor of the ancestors

  皇 Emperor; magnificent.

 

251 Chills and fever

木生火
口不噤
瘋癲作癥
寒熱相侵

Wood feeds fire
The mouth does not keep silent
Madness causes obstruction of the bowels
Chills and fever invade each other

252 Wake up

休休休
過了三年又六週
不猛省
禍到頭。

Quiet and serene
Exceeding 3 years and 6 weeks
If you don’t suddenly wake up
There is misfortune in the end

  休休 Good at heart or: stop-stop!

253 Prepare well

欄檻起火
孽畜遭殃
預防得力
滅火成康

The walls of the pens are on fire
The raging livestock meets with disaster
You guarded against it beforehand and you get help
Extinguishing the fire is accomplished easily

254 Firm like three mountains

已遂心頭願
始知志氣伸
三山須把握
頻頻定太平

Already heart and mind fulfilled their desire
Starting to realize the extent of the ambitions
One must be firm like grasping three mountains
Again and again fixing peace and tranquility

255 Lucky star

福星照映
桂子香聞
滿天星斗
光耀逼人

The lucky star shines
I smell the fragrance of cassia buds
The sky is full of stars
Their brilliance coercing man

  桂子 Fragrant Cassia buds; famous and talented sons.

256 The source of water

東南地將來自故墟
燕薊地蒼生無存濟
若要大奮雄心
水源不知何處？

The Southeast shall come to ruins
In the region of Yan and Ji there is nothing stored to live from
Should you really raise grand ambitions
When you don’t know where the source of water is?

  燕薊YanJi became Beijing

257 A free heart

死有日
生有時
何事慢躊躇
飄然一往
心上無疑

Death has its day
Birth has its hour
Why be cynical and hesitate
Float in the air and just go
Your heart free of doubts

258 Jackals and wolves

往來行僻處
猝然著一驚
豺狼若當道
斬滅方稱心

Traveling around you walk into an out of the way place
Suddenly a surprise
Cruel and evil people seem to block your way
Beheading and exterminating satisfies them

  往來 coming and going: traveling around.
  豺狼 jackals and wolves: cruel and evil people.
'  當道 'pawn's dao', hold the reins of govenment; block one's way.

259 Qimen Dunjia divination

八門分八位
九星布九方
青赤黃白黑
五色卷錦裝
交鋒對壘
兩兩相當

Eight gates divide the eight positions
Nine stars the nine regions
Green, red, yellow, white and black
Five colors of brocade costumes
Crossing swords ready for battle
Both sides similar in strength

  Qimen Dunjia is one of the Three Styles of Divination

260 A life without purpose

終身不習上
在世卻枉然
輪迴不能
永落深坑塹

All one’s life not practicing to become better
A life without purpose
A wheel cannot turn around
It always goes down into an abyss or chasm

261 Yin and yang in harmony

兩個子女
同到齊行
陰陽和合
謀作歡欣

Two sets of boys and girls
All are here moving together
Yin and yang in harmony
Making plans in happiness and joy

262 Enlightenment

中有玄機賦
雞鳴方顯露
猛然悟禪關
打破君門路

In your center you are endowed with the mysteries of fate
When the cock crows the region becomes visible
Suddenly coming to understand the principles of Zen
You break with the ways of lords

  機賦 mysteries of fate or unniverse.
  悟禪 come to understand the principles of 禪, Chán (Zen).
   關 meditation or shutting.

263 Free fish

數尾金魚吞餌
絲竿釣了回頭
家食翻嫌太費
五湖四海遨遊

Several tail golden fish swallowed the bait
You take your fishing line and pole and turn around
You don’t like the great cost of not eating at home
When traveling the five lakes and four oceans

  五湖四海 5 lakes and 4 oceans: all corners of the land, everywhere in the world.
  遨遊 Roaming and traveling: i.e. by water and land.

264 The will of Heaven

卯日兒出林
午時正福臨
卯生於寅
方見天心

On Mao day a child comes out of the forest
And right at Wu hour a blessing spirit
Mao issues forth from Yin
Everywhere one sees the will of Heaven

  卯 Mao: 4th branch, Rabbit.
  午 Wu: 7th branch, Ox, between 11 and 1 o'clock.
  寅 Yin: 3d branch, Tiger.