Hexagram 64: Before Completion
Almost there, the last step
| Chinese | 未濟 (Wèi Jì) |
|---|---|
| Upper trigram | ☲ Fire — The Clinging (Fire) |
| Lower trigram | ☵ Water — The Abysmal (Water) |
| Keywords | potential, transition, caution, new beginnings |
| Opposite | Hexagram 63: After Completion |
| Inverted | Hexagram 63: After Completion |
What does Hexagram 64 (Before Completion) mean?
Before Completion 未濟 (Wèi Jì) is hexagram 64 of the I Ching, formed by Fire (The Clinging) over Water (The Abysmal). Its theme is almost there, the last step, with key ideas of potential, transition, caution, new beginnings. The Judgment reads: “Before Completion. Success. But if the little fox, after nearly completing the crossing, gets his tail in the water, there is nothing that would further.”
The Judgment of Before Completion
Before Completion. Success. But if the little fox, after nearly completing the crossing, gets his tail in the water, there is nothing that would further.
The Image of Before Completion
Fire over water.
The six changing lines of Hexagram 64
When a casting produces moving lines, their texts speak directly to your situation. Read from the bottom line upward.
Six at the beginning
“He gets his tail in the water. Humiliating.”
Rushing forward before the conditions are right leads immediately into trouble. The last step before completion is also the one most easily stumbled.
Nine in the second place
“He brakes his wheels. Perseverance brings good fortune.”
Deliberate restraint — checking speed before the final crossing — is not hesitation but wisdom. Patience here ensures the completion actually completes.
Six in the third place
“Before completion, attack brings misfortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.”
Aggressive action before readiness fails; yet bold movement at the right moment is exactly what is required. The task is to distinguish between the two.
Nine in the fourth place
“Perseverance brings good fortune. Remorse disappears. Shock, thus to discipline the Devil's Country. For three years, great realms are awarded.”
Sustained effort against stubborn disorder before the final crossing brings lasting reward. Three years of disciplined perseverance yields great domains.
Six in the fifth place
“Perseverance brings good fortune. No remorse. The light of the superior man is real. Good fortune.”
At the threshold of completion, the inner light of the superior person is fully visible and wholly real. This clarity, maintained, brings complete good fortune and freedom from regret.
Nine at the top
“There is drinking of wine in genuine confidence. No blame. But if one wets his head, he loses it, in truth.”
Celebrating the nearness of completion with genuine confidence is fine — but excess tips into loss at the last moment. Trust is warranted; abandon is not.
Will Before Completion answer your question?
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