Hexagram 30: Radiance
Outer trigram (upper)
Ly
Fire · Fire
Inner trigram (lower)
Ly
Fire · Fire
Judgment
離：利貞，亨，畜牝牛，吉.
Translation
Li (fire, brightness, clinging): favorable to hold to what is correct, success. Raising a cow brings good fortune.
Commentary
Li above and Li below: blazing brightness. Lines 2 and 5 are both yin holding the center, like a flame that needs something to cling to — a wick, some fuel — in order to burn. Li means to cling, to shine. Raising a cow (gentle, yielding yin) represents holding to a gentle, yielding, and correct character.
Line Readings
Line 1 (yang)
初九：履錯然，敬之，无咎.
Translation
Steps taken in confusion — proceeding with care and respect brings no blame.
Commentary
Line 1, yang, stands at the very start of the time of Li, its steps not yet steady. Only by proceeding carefully and respectfully can it avoid blame.
Line 2 (yin)
六二：黃離，元吉.
Translation
Clinging to yellow — the color of the center — brings great good fortune.
Commentary
Line 2, yin, holds both the center and a correct position, clinging to the virtue of centrality (yellow). This is the best line in the hexagram.
Line 3 (yang)
九三：日昃之離，不鼓缶而歌，則大耋之嗟，凶.
Translation
Clinging to the light of the setting sun — if one does not drum on the earthen jar and sing, one will instead grieve over old age. Misfortune.
Commentary
Line 3, yang, sits at the end of the lower trigram, as the sun is about to set. One should accept this waning time with good cheer. Failing to find contentment in one's circumstances, and grieving instead, brings misfortune.
Line 4 (yang)
九四：突如，其來如，焚如，死如，棄如.
Translation
It comes suddenly, blazing up like fire, dying out like fire, discarded like ash.
Commentary
Line 4, yang, holds neither the center nor a correct position — violent and sudden, like a fire flaring up. But a fire that flares too fiercely burns itself out and is abandoned.
Line 5 (yin)
六五：出涕沱若，戚嗟若，吉.
Translation
Weeping freely, grieving and lamenting — good fortune.
Commentary
Line 5, yin, holds the center in the position of honor, and knows to feel concern for the world (as a ruler cares for the people), rather than growing complacent and self-satisfied. This is a virtue, and so it is good.
Line 6 (yang)
上九：王用出征，有嘉；折首，獲匪其醜，无咎.
Translation
The king uses this to send out an army — there is good in it; the ringleader is struck down, but those who merely followed are spared. No blame.
Commentary
Line 6, yang, sits at the blazing top of the hexagram Li, using clarity of insight to carry out a campaign — removing only the ringleader and sparing the innocent. No blame.