Hexagram 64, Wèi Jì (Before Completion): Line 2

未济卦九二 · 火水未济 · 中文版

九二:曳其轮,贞吉。

The line (Legge)

The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject dragging back his (carriage-) wheel. With firmness and correctness there will be good fortune.

Small Image commentary

'The second NINE, (undivided), shows good fortune arising from being firm and correct:' - it is in the central place, and the action of its subject thereby becomes correct.

象曰:九二贞吉,中以行正也。

In plain words

Braking the wheels: steadfastness brings good fortune. The second line is strong and central, corresponds to the fifth, and can restrain itself, not rushing ahead. The Small Image says it walks the right way by the middle way.

Applying it to your situation

If you want to speed things up, this line suggests being steadier for now. What could slowing down help you avoid?

Position

A solid (yang) line in the second place, which is a yin (even) place, so it is not in its proper place. It holds the centre of the lower trigram. Its partner is line 5; one is yin and the other yang, so they respond to each other.

If this line moves

With this line moving alone, Wèi Jì changes into Hexagram 35 Jìn (Progress). The Jiaoshi Yilin verse for this change (Chinese): 焦氏易林·未济之晋.

The hexagram

Hexagram 64 Wèi Jì (Before Completion). The Judgment: Wei Ji intimates progress and success (in the circumstances which it implies). (We see) a young fox that has nearly crossed (the stream), when its tail gets immersed. There will be no advantage in any way.

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English text: James Legge, The Yi King (Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882), public domain, as transcribed by the Chinese Text Project. Chinese: the received text. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction. Plain-English readings and position notes by this site.

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