Steven Karcher & Michael Servetus
Intelligence hidden or harmed. Deliberately concealing your light by entering what is beneath you.
Hide your light, accept the difficulties and find the hidden beginnings. Don’t appeal to authority. Supervise things from hiding. Beware of pushing yourself forward, being incautious or responding to provocation or temptation. Preserve inner calm and inner development. Take no risks.
Richard Wilhelm
##### Symbolic
Here the sun has sunk under the earth and is therefore darkened. The name of the hexagram means literally "wounding of the bright"; hence the individual lines contain frequent references to wounding. The situation is the exact opposite of that in the foregoing hexagram. In the latter a wise man at the head of affairs has able helpers, and in company with them makes progress; here a man of dark nature is in a position of authority and brings harm to the wise and able man.
##### Judgment
DARKENING OF THE LIGHT. In adversity
It furthers one to be persevering.
##### Judgment Comments
One must not unresistingly let himself be swept along by unfavorable circumstances, nor permit his steadfastness to be shaken. He can avoid this by maintaining his inner light, while remaining outwardly yielding and tractable. With this attitude he can overcome even the greatest adversities. In some situations indeed a man must hide his light, in order to make his will prevail inspite of difficulties in his immediate environment. Perseverance must dwell in inmost consciousness and should not be discernible from without. Only thus is a man able to maintain his will in the face of difficulties.
##### Image
The light has sunk into the earth:
The image of DARKENING OF THE LIGHT.
Thus does the superior man live with the great mass:
He veils his light, yet still shines.
##### Image Comments
In a time of darkness it is essential to be cautious and reserved. One should not needlessly awaken overwhelming enmity by inconsiderate behavior. In such times one ought not to fall in with the practices of others; neither should one drag them censoriously into the light. In social intercourse one should not try to be all-knowing. One should let many things pass, without being duped.
