Matchmaker Oracle · Lot 96

Source: Records of the Grand Historian, "Marquis of Huaiyin"

What it means

Caught between two sides, welcome in neither; decide soon.

"Go to Chu and Chu won't trust you; go to Han and Han will fear you; where will you go?" Caught between two sides, welcome in neither. Decide soon; delay only makes it harder.

Guidance in love

Line by line

1. 歸楚楚人不信
   Go to Chu, and Chu won't trust you
2. 歸漢漢人震恐
   go to Han, and Han will fear you
3. 足下欲持是安歸乎
   with all this, where will you go?

Original context

From the Records of the Grand Historian: the adviser Kuai Tong urged Han Xin to stand on his own, since his merit frightened his lord: "Go to Chu and they won't trust you; go to Han and they'll fear you; where will you go?" Han Xin hesitated, did not act, and was later killed.

Text: the 100-lot Matchmaker (Yue Lao) oracle used in Taiwan. Most lots quote classical texts; sources were checked against the originals, obvious copying errors corrected, and uncertain sources marked as such.