Chewing Through
shì hé · Fire over ThunderName the obstacle plainly and deal with it fairly.
亨。利用獄。
Something is stuck between the teeth and keeps the jaws from closing. Bite through it and things flow again. This is a time for clear judgment and fair penalties, not avoidance.
The six lines
初九：屨校滅趾，无咎。
Wooden shackles close over your feet, down past the toes. A small early penalty stops you before worse, and there is no fault.
六二：噬膚滅鼻，无咎。
You sink your teeth into soft meat until your nose is buried. Overdone perhaps, but the task is easy, and there is no fault.
六三：噬腊肉，遇毒；小吝，无咎。
Your teeth hit stale cured meat and there is poison in it. The task is old and unpleasant. A little embarrassing, but no fault.
九四：噬乾胏，得金矢，利艱貞，吉。
You chew tough meat on the bone and find a metal arrowhead. Stay firm through hard going, and this can turn out well.
六五：噬乾肉，得黃金，貞厲，无咎。
You chew dry meat and find yellow gold: hardness joined with fairness. Stay upright and alert to danger, and there is no fault.
上九：何校滅耳，凶。
A heavy wooden collar covers your ears. You have stopped hearing warnings, and this is a dangerous place. Listen now.
The I Ching is a tool for reflection. Do not use it as the basis for medical, legal or money decisions.