Zhouyi, received text. Traditional characters are retained from the electronic reference; punctuation is editorial.
A contemporary perspective
Care for the shared sources of nourishment: knowledge, attention, and dependable resources.
This is Fatefold’s original reflective interpretation, not a word-for-word translation or a classical prediction about a modern question.
Classical line statements · bottom to top
01
初六 井泥不食，舊井无禽。
02
九二 井谷射鮒，甕敝漏。
03
九三 井渫不食，為我心惻，可用汲。王明，並受其福。
04
六四 井甃无咎。
05
九五 井洌，寒泉，食。
06
上六 井收，勿幕，有孚，元吉。
Read the structure
The lower trigram is Xun · Wind; the upper is Kan · Water. The six lines describe positions and stages within one situation, rather than six independent answers. Care for the shared sources of nourishment: knowledge, attention, and dependable resources.
Tuan commentary · reading the judgment
巽乎水而上水，井，井養而不窮也。改邑不改井，乃以剛中也；汔至亦未繘井，未有功也；羸其瓶，是以凶也。
The Tuan discusses the judgment through polarity, position and timing. Its conditions belong with the judgment; an isolated favorable or unfavorable word does not settle a whole situation.
Great Image · from pattern to conduct
木上有水，井，君子以勞民勸相。
The Great Image turns The Well into a model for conduct. Alongside divinatory language, this layer asks how to act. Consider whether your approach to the well fits the actual conditions.
Line-by-line commentary
初六 · 1
井泥不食，舊井无禽。
《小象》：井泥不食，下也；舊井无禽，時舍也。
An unusable well needs foundational cleaning.
The first line concerns an initial stage and its readiness.
九二 · 2
井谷射鮒，甕敝漏。
《小象》：井谷射鮒，无與也。
A leaking vessel prevents useful provision.
Line two is central within the lower trigram; consider nearby coordination. Centrality is not an automatic favorable verdict.
九三 · 3
井渫不食，為我心惻，可用汲。王明，並受其福。
《小象》：井渫不食，行惻也；求王明，受福也。
A clean well still needs connection to those it serves.
Line three ends the lower trigram and invites attention to a threshold and its pressures.
六四 · 4
井甃无咎。
《小象》：井甃无咎，脩井也。
Maintenance can be valuable before provision resumes.
Line four enters the upper trigram; consider a transition of setting or responsibility.
九五 · 5
井洌，寒泉，食。
《小象》：寒泉之食，中正也。
Sound provision meets an actual need.
Line five is central in the upper trigram; consider responsibility and the use of resources.
上六 · 6
井收，勿幕，有孚，元吉。
《小象》：元吉在上，大成也。
An open, dependable well can serve a community.
The top line ends this pattern; consider excess, closure and a next stage.
Relate it to your question
Separate known facts, unconfirmed information and available actions. Which part of this symbol fits, and which does not?
