12. 否 Stagnation

否：否之匪人，不利君子貞，大往小來。

Fǒu: Fǒu zhī fěi rén, bù lì jūn zǐ zhēn, dà wǎng xiǎo lái.

Blocked by the wrong people. Not favorable for the noble one's perseverance. The great departs, the small arrives.

否：否之匪人，不利君子貞，大往小來。

初六：拔茅茹，以其彙，貞吉亨。

Chū liù: Bá máo rú, yǐ qí huì, zhēn jí hēng.

First line: Pulling up reeds, roots and all, together with their kind. Perseverance brings good fortune and success.

初六：拔茅茹，以其彙，貞吉亨。

六二：包承。小人吉，大人否，亨。

Liù èr: Bāo chéng. Xiǎo rén jí, dà rén fǒu, hēng.

Second line: Bearing and submitting. Good fortune for the petty person; the great man stays blocked, and so succeeds.

六二：包承。小人吉，大人否，亨。

六三：包羞。

Liù sān: Bāo xiū.

Third line: Bearing shame.

六三：包羞。

九四：有命，无咎，疇離祉。

Jiǔ sì: Yǒu mìng, wú jiù, chóu lí zhǐ.

Fourth line: Acting on a mandate: no blame. Companions share the blessing.

九四：有命，无咎，疇離祉。

九五：休否，大人吉。其亡其亡，繫于苞桑。

Jiǔ wǔ: Xiū fǒu, dà rén jí. Qí wáng qí wáng, xì yú bāo sāng.

Fifth line: Stagnation comes to rest; good fortune for the great man. "It may perish, it may perish!" — tie it to the mulberry roots.

九五：休否，大人吉。其亡其亡，繫于苞桑。

上九：傾否，先否後喜。

Shàng jiǔ: Qīng fǒu, xiān fǒu hòu xǐ.

Top line: Stagnation overturned. First blocked, then joy.

上九：傾否，先否後喜。