Yi Jing, Oracle of the Moon

Examples:

17 Oracle
T’ai-i commands the soldiers, Jade Woman by his side.
Wu Hsien precedes them shaking a spirit-duster to clear away perversities.

17 Verse
Thin clouds obscure the moon’s light
Opened blossoms half destroyed by rain
Expelling evil, in the end one obtains blessings
Quietly retiring to seek tranquility

(T’ai-i is the most honored spirit in heaven, jade Woman and Wu Hsien act as his assistants.
Wu Hsien was a worthy minister in the Shang dynasty)

26 Oracle
Above and below both settled, the mind does not give birth to perversity.
Contented, it has no worries. Do not believe rumors.

26 Verse
A pair of swallows return to the southern states,
Seeking out the families Wang and Hsieh.
Amid the carved halls of spring light serene,
They entrust their lives to fate.

34 Oracle
Climbing high, peering out far, above I see the Milky Way.
The divine, exalted Jade Woman bestows a spiritual talisman on me.
It forever grants that it will be difficult for age to affect me
And thus preserves my body.

34 Verses
Although the rarities before my seat are expensive,
I must still await a buyer to sell them.
Fate is bringing prosperity and profit,
I will not trouble myself with planning ordinary affairs.

She being a beautiful person,
The perfected man seeks her.
Admirable virtue true,
She confers blessing on me.
Forever preserving the true,
Do not lose her counsel.

Oracle
Bright virtue exceedingly glorious, longevity unbounded.
The seven stars of the Dipper protect me.
There will be a transfer to a generously renumerated position.
Great good fortune for generations.

Verse
Before the carriage no ravines or obstacles,
The boat floats easily down the river.
Rain and dew descend from Heaven,
The outer courtyard is again renewed.

Oracle
When a number of unnatural oddities are seen
It becomes essential to engage shamans and wizards
To pray for the intercession of the spirits and seek good fortune.
The dissipation of disaster and mitigation of misfortune,
Gaining tranquility in great and minor affairs,
Will stem from the power of Heavenly and Earthly spirits.

Verses
When sorrow appears, truly it is the basis for harm,
When anxiety comes, guard against it in the darkness.
Only when you again encounter winter’s cold or summer’s heat,
Will you manage to dispel calamity and disaster.
Disasters and oddities stir grief within;
A cluster of yin looks to overcome yang.
But by beseeching Heaven to grant its protection,
Old and young gain peace and repose.

Oracle
The land peaceful and tranquil, without hardship or difficulty.
It is highly appropriate to engage in sowing the fields
and is advantageous to go forth and return.

Verse
Above the vast sea, clouds part to reveal an expansive thoroughfare
The multihued phoenix carries a proclamation to the edges of Heaven
The common people take pleasure in their occupations, settled and secure
Officials advance, their achievements and fame praised throughout the realm

Oracle
An enlightened ruler above, no perversity or evil below.
Those garbed in court attire are numerous and fine;
demotions and promotions have been brilliantly affected.

Verses
From low the dragon raises its horns on high, half breaking through the clouds,
Claws and teeth now complete, beyond hardship and suffering.
Henceforth it continually pursues thunder’s transformations,
Shortly to become a man of Heaven in the human realm.

When Yao and Shun governed the world,
Ruler and minister all excelled.
The chief of the four mountaineous regions was accomplished and wise,
The prime ministers approved the plans.
For three years they effected promotions and demotions,
The vile and malevolent were forever forced aside.

Oracle
Virtuously pray for the elimination of the unpropitious;
Be respectfully cautious and appropriately reverent.
Today, although you may be hidden away and constrained,
Blessings and riches will come by themselves.

Verse (= Shenshu 351):
In autumn the osprey’s power turns fierce,
Riding the wind, spreading its wings, it reaches the toad’s palace.
As for glory and splendor, should you ask when they will come,
Sooner or later your fame will extend throughout the nine directions.

(The toad’s palace is the moon.)