卦辞 (Guàcí – Hexagram Judgment)

元亨，利牝马之贞。君子有攸往，先迷后得，主利西南，得朋东北。失其道，凶。

Primal and universally favorable; it benefits one to emulate the constancy of a broodmare. When a noble person sets forth, initial confusion leads to eventual gain. Auspiciousness predominates in the southwest; companionship arises in the northeast. Deviation from this path invites calamity.

---

彖传 (Tuànzhuàn – Commentary on the Image)

至哉坤“元”，万物资生，乃顺承天。坤厚载物，德合无疆。含弘光大，品物咸“形”。牝马地类，行地无疆，柔顺利贞。君子攸行，先迷失道，后顺得常。“西南得朋”，乃与类行；“东北丧朋”，乃终有庆。安贞之吉，应地无疆。

Commentary on Hexagram Image:

How great is Earth’s primal virtue (Yuan)! All things draw nourishment from it as it humbly receives Heaven’s creative force. Vast and stable, its bounty carries all existence; its moral compass extends limitlessly. Embracing breadth and brilliance, it gives form to every entity. Like a mare traversing boundless earth, gentle compliance embodies true constancy. Though a noble person may stray at first, adherence to this principle yields enduring order. “Gaining friends in the southwest” signifies moving among kindred spirits; “losing companions in the northeast” paradoxically brings ultimate joy. Peaceful constancy ensures auspiciousness, mirroring Earth’s infinite expanse.