Judgment
— I Ching · classical
亨，君子有终。
Modesty creates success. The superior person carries things through.
Image
— Great Image
地中有山，谦，君子以裒多益寡，称物平施。
Within the earth, a mountain: the image of modesty. Thus the superior person reduces what is too much and augments what is too little, weighing things and making them equal.
Six Lines
— Bottom to top
Initial Six · 初六
⚋ yin
谦谦君子，用涉大川，吉。
A superior person modest about their modesty may cross the great water. Good fortune.
Doubly modest — the deepest virtue can carry across the largest risks.
Six in the second · 六二
⚋ yin
鸣谦，贞吉。
Modesty that comes to expression. Steadfastness brings good fortune.
Modesty so genuine that it speaks of itself; alignment of name and substance.
Nine in the third · 九三
⚊ yang
劳谦君子，有终，吉。
A superior person of modesty and merit carries things to conclusion. Good fortune.
Vast accomplishment combined with no claim of credit — wins universal allegiance and lasting fortune. (The only line where ALL judgments are auspicious across the hexagram.)
Six in the fourth · 六四
⚋ yin
无不利，撝谦。
Nothing that would not further. Modesty that expresses itself in action.
Spread modesty through deed; everywhere it goes, it advances things.
Six in the fifth · 六五
⚋ yin
不富以其邻，利用侵伐，无不利。
No boasting of wealth before one's neighbor. It is favorable to attack with force. Nothing that would not further.
Modesty is not weakness. When required, decisive action against the unruly is also right.
Six at the top · 上六
⚋ yin
鸣谦，利用行师，征邑国。
Modesty that comes to expression. It is favorable to set armies marching, to chastise one's own city and one's country.
Even at the top, the fight is internal — discipline one's own house first.
Modern Readings
— Interdisciplinary
Career & Management
The safest brand-and-PR strategy at any scale: keep a low public posture; internally, reward 'high-achievement, low-visibility' employees.
Psychology & Cognition
'The lowest valley becomes the sea; the humblest person becomes the ruler.' A low posture absorbs more information, lowers opposition, deepens depth.
Decision Guidance
Modesty is not weakness; when discipline is required, apply force. But always begin from the lower position.
Western Parallels
— Cross-cultural
Lao Tzu's 'the highest good is like water — it benefits all and seeks the lowest places'; Jim Collins' 'Level 5 leadership' (humility + fierce will); Christian humility traditions; Charlie Munger's 'invert, always invert' applied to status games.
· All texts here come from public-domain editions of the I Ching and supporting commentary.
· Anygua does not predict, score, schedule, ward, or recommend rituals.
· The same input via the same method will always reproduce the same hexagram — verifiable below.