未濟
Wèi Jì · Before Completion
The last step is still a step; the end is another beginning.
The judgment
未濟：亨，小狐汔濟，濡其尾，無攸利。
Before completion. Success. The little fox is nearly across and wets its tail: nothing is gained by rushing the last step.
Received text; plain English after the Chinese. Source: 周易經傳 (public-domain). Passage: hex64.judgment.
The image
象曰：火在水上，未濟。君子以慎辨物居方。
Fire over water: before completion. A capable person carefully sorts things and puts each in its place.
Received text; plain English after the Chinese. Source: 周易經傳 (public-domain). Passage: hex64.image.
The last step is still a step; the end is another beginning.
The six lines
Each line is a stage, from the bottom of the hexagram to the top. Open any line to read it in plain English.
初六 濡其尾，吝。 Wetting the tail. Regret: you started across before you were ready.
Wetting the tail. Regret: you started across before you were ready.
九二 曳其輪，貞吉。 Dragging the wheel. Stay true and it is lucky: restraint is the right move.
Dragging the wheel. Stay true and it is lucky: restraint is the right move.
六三 未濟，征凶，利涉大川。 Not yet across. Marching is bad; it is fit to cross the great water: prepare, then go.
Not yet across. Marching is bad; it is fit to cross the great water: prepare, then go.
九四 貞吉，悔亡，震用伐鬼方，三年有賞於大國。 Stay true, regret disappears. Thunder-like force attacks the Ghost Country; after three years there is reward from the great state.
Stay true, regret disappears. Thunder-like force attacks the Ghost Country; after three years there is reward from the great state.
六五 貞吉，無悔，君子之光，有孚，吉。 Stay true, no regret. The light of a capable person, with sincerity: good fortune.
Stay true, no regret. The light of a capable person, with sincerity: good fortune.
上九 有孚於飲酒，無咎，濡其首，有孚失是。 Sincere over wine: no blame. But wet the head, and sincerity loses its footing.
Sincere over wine: no blame. But wet the head, and sincerity loses its footing.