I Ching
by Martin Burke

Youthful Folly

stillness and abysmal water

youth has success
yet the superior man
does not seek out the youth
he brings him to the oracle
if he asks more than once
this is not opportune
and thus he gets no information

a spring at the foot of the mountain-
this is the image of the youth
the superior man trains him
by doing and not-doing

                             *

chains should be removed
but true discipline applied
anything other than this leads to humiliation

be kind to youthful folly
the son will inherit the house
beware of the woman
who forgets herself
when she see the man of bronze

complex folly brings humiliation
yet the childlike brings success

in punishing
commit no transgression

prevent transgressions