Not Yet Fording (64)
6
4
2
The Judgement
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
Fire over water:The image of the condition before transition.
Thus the superior man is careful
In the differentiation of things,
So that each finds its place.
Line Poems
- 6 - There is drinking of wine In genuine confidence. No blame. But if one wets his head, He loses it, in truth.
- 5 - Perseverance brings good fortune. No remorse. The light of the superior man is true. Good fortune.
- 4 - Perseverance brings good fortune. Remorse disappears. Shock, thus to discipline the Devil’s Country. For three years, great realms are rewarded.
- 3 - Before completion, attack brings misfortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.
- 2 - He brakes his wheels. Perseverance brings good fortune.
- 1 - He gets his tail in the water. Humiliating.
Commentary
This hexagram indicates a time when the transition from disorder to order is not yet completed.The change is indeed prepared for, since all the lines in the upper trigram are in relation to those in the lower.
However, they are not yet in their places.
While the preceding hexagram offers an analogy to autumn, which forms the transition from summer to winter, this hexagram
presents a parallel to spring, which leads out of winter’s stagnation into the fruitful time of summer.
With this hopeful outlook the Book of Changes come to its close.
