Yi 18: what moves most people to Give Up On Their Dream

 

a rather poignant changing line 3:

Line-3

Legge: The third line, dynamic, shows its subject in a position like that of the declining sun. Instead of playing on his instrument of earthenware, and singing to it, he utters the groans of an old man of eighty. There will be evil.

Wilhelm/Baynes: In the light of the setting sun, men either beat the pot and sing or loudly bewail the approach of old age. Misfortune.

Blofeld: In the light of the setting sun, young men do not beat upon their cooking pots or sing; the old sigh piteously -- misfortune!

Liu: Under the light of the setting sun, one sings without beating the pot, bemoaning one's old age. Misfortune.

Ritsema/Karcher: Sun going-down's radiance. Not drumbeating a jar and-also singing. By-consequence great old-age's lamenting. Pitfall.

Shaughnessy: The net of the sun's decline; not drumming the earthenware jar and yet singing, then the sighing of the great mourning kerchief; inauspicious.

Cleary (1): The afternoon light; unless you drum on a jug and sing, there will be the lament of old age, which is unfortunate.

Cleary (2): In the fire of the afternoon sun, you either drum on a jug and sing, or lament as in old age. This bodes ill. 

Wu: The sun is passing the meridian. If he does not play his earthen instrument and sing, but sighs like an old man of eighty years, there will be foreboding. [The passing of the meridian is like the passing of the prime time in life. If one does not make the best of his life now, it will be gone forever.]

COMMENTARY

Anthony: Fear and worry over the length of time required to attain recognizable progress puts us in the wrong balance. If we can nobleheartedly accept that things will be fulfilled when they will, we secure our fate by making possible that it can be fulfilled. As long as the ego stands by expectantly, measuring and weighing our progress, the dark force of doubt operates and the power of good cannot manifest itself. 

Hohne: When the sun sets, we beat pots and sing or bemoan old age = misfortune. Changes to (21) Biting Through. Worrying about the progression of time can make you feel old or late in terms of life stages. It is better to focus on the here and now and sing.