初
初。濡其尾、吝。
Tail wet—regret. Early misstep in crossing.
䷿
Hexagram 64
Before Completion (火水未済)
Kasui-bisei / Wèi Jì
Fire above water—not yet harmonized. Final steps remain; caution and patience required.
Judgment
未濟。亨。小狐汔濟、濡其尾、无攸利。
Not yet completed. Success. The little fox almost crosses, wets its tail—nothing is favorable. Finish carefully.
Almost there; one careless move ruins it. Proceed mindfully to completion.
Line-by-Line (Yao)
Interpretations if the line changes.
二
六二。曳其輪、貞吉。
Dragging the wheels—upright and fortunate. Slow but correct progress.
三
九三。未濟、征凶、利涉大川。
Not yet complete; going brings misfortune, yet favorable to cross the great river. Risky push can succeed if essential.
四
六四。貞吉、悔亡。震用伐鬼方、三年有賞于大國。
Upright fortune; regret gone. Thunderous campaign against demons; in three years rewards from the great state. Persevering effort pays.
五
六五。貞吉、无悔。君子之光、有孚、吉。
Upright fortune, no regret. The noble’s light, with sincerity—good fortune.
上
上。濡其首、厲。
Head wet—danger. Final overreach spoils all.
Practical Reading: Love, Career, Health & Decisions
When you cast Hexagram 64, Wèi Jì (Before Completion), the Book of Changes shows you a situation with Li (Fire) above and Kan (Water) below. Fire above water—not yet harmonized. Final steps remain; caution and patience required. Use the cards below to map that pattern onto your specific question — a love reading, a career decision, a health concern, or a yes/no choice.
Love & Relationships
Relationship developing; don’t rush the last step. In a love or relationship reading, Hexagram 64 (Wèi Jì) describes the meeting point of Li (fire) above and Kan (water) below: how the outer situation meets your inner state. Ask whether you are forcing the relationship to fit a picture, or letting it move at the rhythm this hexagram suggests. For a partnered question, read the changing lines to see which side — yours or the other person's — is being asked to shift.
Work & Career
Project near done; double-check details to avoid spoilage. In work and career, Wèi Jì points to whether the outer market or workplace (Li (fire)) and your inner stance (Kan (water)) are in alignment. If a project, negotiation, or job change is the question, ask what this hexagram says about timing rather than effort: pushing harder rarely changes a Wèi Jì situation; reading the configuration usually does.
Health & Wellbeing
Improvement underway; keep treatment steady until full recovery. For a body or wellness reading, treat the lines of Hexagram 64 as descriptions of phases, not diagnoses. Wèi Jì usually signals where energy needs to be conserved versus where it is asking to be expressed. Combine the hexagram's advice with concrete medical guidance — the I Ching is a reflective tool, not a substitute for professional care.
Decision-Making
When the question is a yes/no — should I take the offer, move, leave, commit? — read Hexagram 64 (Wèi Jì, Before Completion) as a statement about the configuration of your situation rather than the outcome. The summary "Fire above water—not yet harmonized. Final steps remain; caution and patience required." is your starting frame. Ask: does this action respect that configuration, or fight it? Changing lines, if any, tell you which specific aspect needs to bend.
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