Hexagram 33: Retreat
Outer trigram (upper)
Càn
Heaven · Metal
Inner trigram (lower)
Cấn
Mountain · Earth
Judgment
遯：亨，小利貞.
Translation
Dun (withdrawal): success, small gains favor holding to what is correct.
Commentary
Qian above is heaven, Gen below is the mountain. The two yin lines below are growing, and yang must withdraw. This is a time when the noble person should retreat — not giving up, but recognizing the moment. Withdrawing at the right time brings success. 'Small gains favor holding to what is correct' means that during a time of withdrawal, one should attend to small, proper matters.
Line Readings
Line 1 (yin)
初六：遯尾，厲，勿用有攸往.
Translation
Retreating at the tail — last and slowest — is dangerous; better to have nowhere to go.
Commentary
Line 1, yin, sits at the very bottom, and when withdrawal comes, it is left trailing behind — dangerous. Rather than pressing further forward, it should withdraw at once.
Line 2 (yin)
六二：執之用黃牛之革，莫之勝說.
Translation
Held fast with the hide of a yellow ox — bound so securely that no one can loosen it.
Commentary
Line 2, yin, holds both the center and a correct position, and corresponds with line 5. It holds firmly to its resolve through a centered, correct character — as sturdy as ox-hide — and nothing can shake it loose.
Line 3 (yang)
九三：係遯，有疾厲，畜臣妾，吉.
Translation
Bound by ties even while retreating — a dangerous affliction; but tending to servants and household matters brings good fortune.
Commentary
Line 3, yang, is held back by the yin of line 2 below, unable to withdraw freely — a dangerous position. It should attend only to small matters within its own reach.
Line 4 (yang)
九四：好遯，君子吉，小人否.
Translation
Withdrawing with true skill — good fortune for the noble person, not so for the small-minded.
Commentary
Line 4, yang, holds a correct position, withdrawing in the right way and at the right time. The noble person knows to withdraw when the moment calls for it, and so fares well; the small-minded person refuses to withdraw.
Line 5 (yang)
九五：嘉遯，貞吉.
Translation
A graceful, admirable withdrawal — holding to what is correct brings good fortune.
Commentary
Line 5, yang, holds both center and correctness in the position of honor, withdrawing gracefully. Holding to what is correct brings good fortune — this is the ideal way to withdraw.
Line 6 (yang)
上九：肥遯，无不利.
Translation
A withdrawal made in full abundance and ease — nothing is unfavorable.
Commentary
Line 6, yang, sits at the very top, free of any entanglement, withdrawing at ease and with nothing to hold it back — nothing is unfavorable. This is complete freedom.