Hexagram 38 · Line 3
Opposition — 三九
Kui · San Jiu
三九 · San Jiu
The Line
One sees the wagon dragged back, the oxen held fast, a person's hair and nose cut off. No good beginning, but a good end.
Interpretation
Sometimes it looks as though everything had conspired against one; one sees oneself hindered in progress and held back, one sees oneself insulted and injured (the cutting off of hair and nose was a severe, degrading punishment). But one must not let oneself be thrown off by this; one must, despite these oppositions, hold fast to the person with whom one knows oneself to belong together. Thus, despite the bad beginning, the end will finally be good.