Before Completion 未濟
Before Completion shows the young fox about to cross the river. When you are very close to your goal, it asks you to take the last step with care.
Judgment
Success is possible. But if the young fox, having nearly crossed the river, gets its tail wet, nothing is gained.
Image
Fire burns above the water. The wise person tells things apart with care and puts each in its proper place.
What does Before Completion mean?
The last sign of the I Ching is not an ending but a new threshold. Fire rises and water flows down, and the two do not yet touch. None of the lines is in its proper place, yet each answers another. This describes a situation where order has not yet been established but can be. It is like the end of winter: spring is near, but the ice has not fully melted. This uncertainty can be unsettling, but it also holds great possibility.
The old text tells this through a young fox. When the old fox crosses the icy river, it listens carefully to the ice. The young, inexperienced one sees the far bank, hurries, and gets its tail caught in the water at the last moment. For you too, the goal may be close, and that is exactly why care is needed. The last step is as important as the first. Know the situation well. Tell apart who is who and what belongs where. The work is not done until everything has settled into place. This sign carries hope, and the crossing is possible. Just do not let impatience and overconfidence waste work that is almost complete.
What to do now
Seeing the far bank is not enough. Take the last step with care as well.
Love and relationships
Your relationship is at a stage that has not yet become clear. There may be a promising beginning or a coming back together, but it is too early to jump to conclusions. Keep getting to know each other with patience.
Work and money
A job or project is about to be finished but is not yet complete. Pay attention to details in the final stage and do not celebrate too early. With a good plan, a difficult transition is possible.
The lines
If a line changed (red) in your reading, read only that line. Lines are counted from the bottom up.
- First line
He gets his tail wet. Trying to move forward before the time has come brings humiliation.
- Second line
He brakes his wheels. Reining in your eagerness and waiting for the right moment, together with steadiness, brings good fortune.
- Third line
Attacking before completion brings misfortune. Still, it serves you to cross the great water. Do not go alone. Move forward with the right help and a new approach.
- Fourth line
Steadiness brings good fortune and regret fades. A campaign is launched against the Devil's Country, and after three years it is rewarded with a great realm. A long and serious struggle ends in success.
- Fifth line
Steadiness brings good fortune, and there is no regret. The light of the wise person is real. Their sincerity spreads to those around them and brings good fortune.
- Top line
Wine is drunk in confidence, and there is no blame in this. But if you lose yourself and get your head wet, you lose the trust you hold as well.
Trigrams
clinging, bright
deep, dangerous
Related hexagrams
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