Yi Jing, Oracle of the Moon

神數

“Shen Shu”, Spirit Numbers 313-336

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

313 Plowing and harvesting

耕牛伏軏
闢土開疆
坐看收穫
黍稷稻粱

The plowing oxen bend over in the crossbar
Opening up the earth and expanding the borders
Sit down and think of the crop coming in
The broomcorn millet and rice and fine millet

314 The Qīngpíng sword

腰下佩青萍
步入金鑾殿
覆護三山
千錘百鍊

At the hip the ornamental sword
He strides into the hall of the imperial palace
He covers and guards the Three Mountains
Thousand maces and hundred chains

315 Entering the world

雛鳥會飛高
出谷遷喬
蛟龍神牙爪
變化海島

A fledgling flying high
Moves onto a new roost
A dragon spirit’s teeth and claws
Transform into islands in the sea

316 Smile to the eastwind

吉吉吉
尋常一樣窗前月
凶凶凶
有了梅花便不同
含笑向東風
人情不比舊時濃

Incredibly auspicious
Usually the same as in the preceding month
Terribly inauspicious
Getting the plum blossoms you want
is in that case not the same
Wear a smile to the eastwind
Human feelings are not as strong as in the old days

317 The cauldron

火天炎災
宜水相濟
寶鼎丹成
掀天揭地

The big fire is burning hot
Water is the right remedy
The treasured cauldron creates the pill
It is overwhelming

318 Securing the boat

鐵索一條
未把孤舟繫
金刀一下
早把頭落地

One strip of cable
Cannot alone bind a boat
One chop of a metal knife
Makes the tie fall to the ground right away

319 Concentration

十二時中
緊急煉著
一刻少延
無處下腳

In the span of a day and night
Tight and urgently you read and write
A little delay during a short time
And you get no foothold anymore

320 Favorable wind

風起西南
紅日當天
奇門妙訣
一掌能看

A wind from the southwest is rising
A red sun on that same day
Marvelous skills and clever ways
You can do it single-handedly

321 Thousand silent flutes

萬籟無聲際
一月正當空
勿被雲遮掩
皓魄反朦矓

Thousand silent flutes
The moon high in the sky
Suddenly the clouds cover it
The moonlight turns dim

322 Don’t procrastinate

一個知音
卻在天邊等
切勿因循
靜夜當思省

One understanding friend
But he is waiting at the end of the world
Be sure not to procrastinate
Think about it in the silence of night

323 Guard dogs

眾犬相聚
礪齒咬牙
搖頭擺尾
只顧看家

A pack of dogs assembles
Sharpening teeth and gnashing molars
Shaking heads and wagging tails
Only concerned with guarding the house

324 Lasting love

妻前夫後一同行
好此先機兆已明
君若有情須切記
十年恩義莫忘心

Wife in front and husband behind walk together
For this good occasion the omen is already clear
An affectionate gentleman must always remember
Not to forget his heart after ten years of gratitude

325 Just once

鼠伏穴
本自甯
一露首
貓即跟
伸威揚爪
鼠喪殘生

A rat hides in a hole
The home it prefers
It shows its head once
The cat promptly follows
Flaunts its strength and bares its claws
The rat forfeits its remaining years

326 Reading

書中有女顏如玉
書中自有黃金屋
讀盡五車書
志願自能足
何心焦勞
心中忙碌

In books there are women with faces like jade
In books one can own golden houses
Having read five carts of books
Your wishes could be satisfied
Then why is your heart worried and worn
In your heart is agitation

327 A leopard change

豹變成文采
乘龍福自臻
赤身成富貴
事事可兮新

A leopard change
completing one’s color markings
Riding a dragon
attaining blessings oneself
Poverty turning into wealth and honor
Everything will be renewed!

  A leopard change: from rags to riches.
  Riding a dragon, traditional meaning: finding a distinguished husband for one's daughter.
  Poverty, lit. nakedness.
  This verse is identical to LingQiJing verse 232.

328 Yang and yin

孤陽微兮
群陰盜兮
力既嬋兮
將不可耄兮
真謹慎兮
宜可保兮

A yang alone is really slight
A group of yin is really overflowing
The strength is already exhausted
He shall not grow old
Be really cautious
It is good to preserve

  Yang can also mean a man, yin can also mean a woman.

329 Riches for free

曉雨初晴映碧溪
重重春色上柴扉
黃金不盡家殷富
何必區區羨錦衣

The rain at dawn clears up
and the small stream shines jade
Layer upon layer of spring scenery
at the gate of branches
Gold is unlimited for prosperous families
Why have trivial envy of brocade clothes?

  Gate of branches: poor family.

330 Morals of the time

世道多荊棘
人情每用嗟
利名各有路
勤苦逐生涯

The morals of the time are strewn with
thistles and thorns
People are moaning about all the applications
A name helps to open roads
Pursue a career by working hard

  The morals of the time: the era's dao.

331 A twisting road

山窮路轉迷
水急舟難渡
萬事莫強為
出處道奸妒

Lost on a bad mountain road which twists around
The boat has trouble crossing the rapids
Nothing at all is going well
You meet all this disaster
because of contrariness and envy

332 Lantern in the wind

時邊多難
戰戰兢兢
戒謹恐懼
如履薄冰
須識前程危與險
一籠風裏一枝燈

The time of now has many disasters
With fear and trepidation
On guard and cautious and afraid
Treading carefully as if walking on thin ice
You need to know if the future
has dangers and threats
Your chest feels as if a draft
blows through a lantern

  (as if a draft blows through a lantern)

333 Poetry and wine *

一朵花枝艷更芳
清香馥郁透蘭房
時風次送終成笑
好句筵前惟幾觴

A gorgeous flower branch with a delicious scent
The delicate rich fragrance pervades the elegant court
A timely breeze turns it in the end into laughter
The feast proceeds with good poetry
and how many cups of wine

  a flower branch can also mean a beautiful woman.
  Laughter: the ideogram is bamboos rocked by the wind.
  See story 340

334 Follow the dragon

自從持守定
功在眾人先
別有非常喜
隨龍到九天

From the time you maintain your decisions
Your achievements are ahead of everybody
Distinguishing yourself
there is extraordinary happiness
You follow the dragon to the Ninth Heaven

  Highest heaven: ninth heaven.

335 An arduous journey

遠涉波濤一葉舟
而今始得過灘頭
年來心事纔成就
屈指從前多可憂

A long arduous journey across a rough sea
in a leaf-like boat
Now starts the achievement
of passing the beachhead
After years of worry only now accomplishments
In the past counting on one’s fingers how
many worries one can have

336 Guarding prosperousness

受君之祿
久降禎祥
盈而不覆
守之乃昌
毋怠毋驕
永保安康

Receiving a lord’s salary
For a long time auspiciousness descends
Fullness which does not turn around
Guard this prosperousness
Without laziness nor pride
Remain forever in good health

  Relaxed and peaceful or: in good health.