利西南,不利東北;利見大人,貞吉。
In (the state indicated by) Kien advantage will be found in the south-west, and the contrary in the north-east. It will be advantageous (also) to meet with the great man. (In these circumstances), with firmness and correctness, there will be good fortune.
Legge’s romanization predates pinyin, so the same word may be spelled differently in the two systems (Kh’ien / Qián). Body text on this site uses pinyin throughout.
西南,地也,東北,山也。以難之平則難解,以難之山則道窮。 往則濟也。 爻皆當位,各履其正,居難履正,正邦之道也。正道未否,難由正濟,故「貞吉」也。遇難失正,吉可得乎?
正義曰:「蹇」,難也。有險在前,畏而不進,故稱為「蹇」。西南險位,平易之方。東北險位,阻礙之所。世道多難,率物以適平易,則蹇難可解。若入於險阻,則彌加擁塞。去就之宜,理須如此,故曰「蹇,利西南不利東北」也。 正義曰:能濟眾難,惟有大德之人,故曰「利見大人」。 正義曰:居難之時,若不守正而行其邪道,雖見大人,亦不得吉,故曰「貞吉」也。