Judgment

Conflict. You are sincere and are being obstructed. A cautious halt halfway brings good fortune. Going through to the end brings misfortune. It furthers one to see the great man. It does not further one to cross the great water.

Hexagram 6, *Song*, embodies the profound tension that arises when wills diverge, symbolized by the heavens ascending and the waters flowing downward. It represents the structural inevitability of conflict within the human experience. The oracle warns that while sincerity may exist, it is currently obstructed by the rigidity of opposing viewpoints. To proceed with caution is the only rational stance.

The text offers a crucial temporal insight: "Good fortune in the middle; misfortune at the end." This suggests that conflict has a tipping point. Resolution through compromise yields stability, yet the pursuit of total victory leads to mutual destruction. To fight to the bitter end is to sacrifice the future for the sake of the ego. Therefore, one must seek the "Great Man"—not a savior, but the embodiment of objective wisdom or a higher perspective—to mediate the dispute. It is not a time for bold undertakings or crossing great rivers, for one cannot navigate the vast unknown while anchored in strife. True strength lies not in conquest, but in the courage to cease contention before it consumes all involved.

Structure

Six at the beginning

If one does not perpetuate the affair, there is a little gossip. In the end, good fortune comes.

Nine in the second place

One cannot engage in conflict. One returns home, gives way. The people of his town, three hundred households, remain free of guilt.

Six in the third place

To nourish oneself on ancient virtue yields perseverance. Danger. In the end, good fortune comes. If by chance you are in the service of a king, seek not works.

Nine in the fourth place

One cannot engage in conflict. One turns back and submits to fate, changes one's attitude, and finds peace in perseverance. Good fortune.

Nine in the fifth place

To contend before him brings supreme good fortune.

Nine at the top

Even if by chance a leather belt is bestowed on one, by the end of a morning it will have been snatched away three times.