Hexagram 63 of 64 · King Wen order
既濟After Completion
Jì Jì · ䷾ · above: Water ☵ 坎 Kǎn · below: Fire ☲ 離 Lí
A state of perfect balance where every element is in its proper place; the primary danger is the inevitable slide back into disorder.A one-line gloss written for this site (AI-assisted). Everything below it is the classical text.
The Judgment 卦辭
亨，小利貞，初吉終亂。
Kî Žî intimates progress and success in small matters. There will be advantage in being firm and correct. There has been good fortune in the beginning; there may be disorder in the end.
James Legge, The Yî King (1882), the Text. Words in (parentheses) are Legge's own additions.
Commentary on the Judgment 彖傳 (Tuan, the first Wing)
1. 'Ki Zi intimates progress and success:'—in small matters, that is, there will be that progress and success.
2. 'There will be advantage in being firm and correct:'—the strong and weak (lines) are correctly arranged, each in its appropriate place.
3. 'There has been good fortune in the beginning:—the weak (second line) is in the centre.
4. 'In the end' there is a cessation (of effort), and 'disorder arises:'—the course (that led to rule and order) is (now) exhausted.
The Image 象
水在火上，既濟；君子以思患而預防之。
(The trigram representing) fire and that for water above it form Kî Žî. The superior man, in accordance with this, thinks of evil (that may come), and beforehand guards against it.
Legge's Great Image (Appendix II). The Chinese above also carries the Small Images of the six lines.
The six lines 爻辭
Read from the bottom (line 1) to the top (line 6). Each line: the Chinese, Legge's translation, and the Small Image commentary on it.
Line 1 初九
The first line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
曳其輪，濡其尾，無咎。
The first NINE, undivided, (shows its subject as a driver) who drags back his wheel, (or as a fox) which has wet his tail. There will be no error.
Small Image: 'He drags back his wheel:'—as we may rightly judge, there will be no mistake.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 39, Obstruction.
Line 2 六二
The second line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
婦喪其茀，勿逐，七日得。
The second SIX, divided, (shows its subject as) a wife who has lost her (carriage-)screen. There is no occasion to go in pursuit of it. In seven days she will find it.
Small Image: 'In seven days she will find it:'—for the course pursued is that indicated by the central position (of the line).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 5, Waiting.
Line 3 九三
The third line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
高宗伐鬼方，三年克之，小人勿用。
The third NINE, undivided, (suggests the case of) Kâo Žung, who attacked the Demon region, but was three years in subduing it. Small men should not be employed (in such enterprises).
Small Image: 'He was three years in subduing it:'—enough to make him weary.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 3, Difficulty at the Beginning.
Line 4 六四
The fourth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
繻有衣袽，終日戒。
The fourth SIX, divided, shows its subject with rags provided against any leak (in his boat), and on his guard all day long.
Small Image: 'He is on his guard all the day:'—he is in doubt about something.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 49, Revolution.
Line 5 九五
The fifth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
東鄰殺牛，不如西鄰之禴祭，實受其福。
The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject (as) the neighbour in the east who slaughters an ox (for his sacrifice); but this is not equal to the (small) spring sacrifice of the neighbour in the west, whose sincerity receives the blessing.
Small Image: 'The slaughtering of an ox by the neighbour in the east is not equal to (the small sacrifice of) the neighbour in the west:'—because the time (in the latter case is more important and fit). 'His sincerity receives the blessing:'—good fortune comes on a great scale.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 36, Darkening of the Light.
Line 6 上六
The sixth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
濡其首，厲。
The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject with (even) his head immersed. The position is perilous.
Small Image: 'His head is immersed; the position is perilous:'—how could such a state continue long?
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 37, The Family.
Related hexagrams
lines 2-4 below, 3-5 aboveOpposite 錯卦64. Before Completion 未濟
every line changedInverse 綜卦64. Before Completion 未濟
turned upside down
A hexagram is a mirror, not a command: read it to reflect, never to obey. Sources: James Legge (tr.), The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XVI (Oxford, 1882; 2nd ed. 1899), public domain; the Chinese text from Project Gutenberg ebook #25501 (易經), public domain. The trigram facts and the related hexagrams are computed from the line pattern. The gloss, selection and arrangement are CC-BY-SA-4.0 (PlayfulProcess). Data: github.com/PlayfulProcess/recursive-iching.