I Ching hexagram 47
I Ching hexagram 47: Exhaustion
困 kùn · a lake above water
A lake with its water drained away: you are worn down and unheard, and staying firm inside matters more than explaining.
- The judgment
- Success. Steadfastness brings the great person good fortune, no harm. When you speak, you are not believed.
"In (the condition denoted by) Khwan there may (yet be) progress and success. For the firm and correct, the (really) great man, there will be good fortune. He will fall into no error. If he make speeches, his words cannot be made good."
- What it says to you
- A lake above, water below it: the lake's water has drained down into the ground, leaving it empty. Exhaustion is the hexagram of being worn out and hemmed in, and the lines don't hide it. Pinned under a tree stump. Leaning on thorns. Coming home to an empty house. If that is where you are, the text is on your side more than you might expect. The judgment opens with success, and says good fortune goes to the great person who stays steady. It adds a hard truth: right now your words won't be believed. So stop explaining. Save your breath and let your conduct speak. The final line shows the way out. You are held mostly by vines and the fear of regret. Acknowledge what went wrong, then make one small move forward, today.
Matter by matter
- Love
- A draining time. Don't argue your case; be steady and kind, and let actions speak.
- Work
- Constraints and little support. Keep your integrity and wait; explanations won't persuade now.
- Money
- Tight times. Endure, spend little, avoid grand promises; relief comes slowly.
- A yes or no question
- Wait. Words won't be believed now; stay firm until things ease.
The six lines of Exhaustion
A hexagram is built from the bottom up, so the first line is the lowest. You read a line's text only when your cast made it a moving line.
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Bottom line, broken
His buttocks pinned under a tree stump, he enters a dark valley; for three years he is not seen.
You have hit the low point and can't see a way out. Don't sink further into gloom. It is a long stretch, but sitting still and keeping a clear head stops you getting more lost.
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Second line, solid
Worn down amid wine and food. The scarlet sash of office is about to arrive. It is favorable to make offerings. Setting out brings misfortune; no mistake.
You have comfort but no purpose, and that wears you out. Recognition and a real role are coming. Meanwhile stay devoted and patient; forcing your way out now goes badly.
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Third line, broken
Hemmed in by rock, leaning on thorns. He enters his house and does not see his wife. Misfortune.
You are pushing against what won't move and holding on to what hurts. Even home feels empty. Stop struggling against the wrong things, and let go of the thorns you are gripping.
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Fourth line, solid
He comes slowly, slowly, hemmed in by a bronze carriage. Humiliation, but it ends well.
Help is slow because something heavy and wealthy stands in the way. It is embarrassing to arrive late, but you will get there. Keep moving, even if it is at a crawl.
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Fifth line, solid
Nose and feet cut off, hemmed in by the scarlet-sashed officials. Slowly, relief comes. It is favorable to make offerings.
You are under pressure from above and below, blocked by people in authority. Stay calm and devoted to your purpose. Release comes gradually, a little at a time, and it does come.
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Top line, broken
Hemmed in by creeping vines, on shaky ground. He says, 'If I move, I'll regret it.' Regretting that, setting out brings good fortune.
What holds you now is mostly fear of regret, thin vines rather than chains. Admit the past mistakes, then move. Setting out now actually works.
About hexagram 47
What does I Ching hexagram 47 mean?
Hexagram 47, Exhaustion, puts a lake above water. A lake with its water drained away: you are worn down and unheard, and staying firm inside matters more than explaining. Its judgment reads: Success. Steadfastness brings the great person good fortune, no harm. When you speak, you are not believed.
Is hexagram 47 a yes or a no?
Wait. Words won't be believed now; stay firm until things ease.
What does hexagram 47 mean for love?
A draining time. Don't argue your case; be steady and kind, and let actions speak.
What does hexagram 47 mean for work?
Constraints and little support. Keep your integrity and wait; explanations won't persuade now.
Cast the coins for a new question , or for a straight yes or no, throw the moon blocks
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The judgment and lines are rendered from the Chinese text; the quoted judgment is Legge's 1882 translation, and every other English line is Jade Almanac's own. A cast is a prompt for reflection, not advice about health, money or the law.