Hexagram 5
Waiting
Water over Heaven
The judgment
有孚，光亨。贞吉，利涉大川Rain is coming and the field is ready. The wait is the work on this date, so prepare and let the sky decide.
The image
Clouds have gathered above heaven and the water has not fallen. Feed yourself while you wait.
The six lines
Read from the bottom up. A line that moves is read here, and read again in the hexagram it becomes.
- 初九Line 1
需于郊，利用恒，无咎
Still waiting in the far outskirts, strength not gathered; keep the daily rhythm and do not set out yet.
Marked in the textno blame
- 九二Line 2
需于沙，小有言，终吉
Waiting on sand, footing loosening; a few words of complaint come, let them pass.
Marked in the textauspicious
- 九三Line 3
需于泥，致寇至
Waiting in mud, movement dragging both ways; whoever arrives now is not there to help.
- 六四Line 4
需于血，出自穴
Waiting where damage is done, almost no way back; climb out of the hollow on your own.
- 九五Line 5
需于酒食，贞吉
Waiting among food and drink, things have eased; hold what is on the table, add nothing more.
Marked in the textauspicious
- 上六Line 6
入于穴，有不速之客三人来，敬之终吉
Retreated into the cave, three uninvited visitors at the door; meet them with respect and the standoff loosens from there.
Marked in the textauspicious
Where each changing line leads
Flip one line and it is a different hexagram. These are the six it becomes.
This page is for reference. To get a hexagram from six throws, cast your own.
The classical text is the Zhouyi, public domain, checked against a Wikisource transcript. The readings are ours. Daily hexagram