I Ching Hexagram 5 - Waiting
Description and interpretations of I Ching (Yijing) hexagram 5 "Waiting"
需 - Xū
Thủy Thiên Nhu
Waiting
Upper Trigram: ☵ Kan, Water
Lower Trigram: ☰ Qian, Heaven
Other Titles: Nourishment, Calculated Inaction, Attending, Biding One's Time, Nourishment Through Inaction, Waiting for Nourishment, Moistened.
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: Waiting. If you are sincere, you have light and success. Perseverance brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.
Legge: Waiting intimates that with sincerity and firmness there will be brilliant success and good fortune. It will be advantageous to cross the great stream.
Blofeld: Calculated inaction (or exhibiting the power to wait) and the confidence of others win brilliant success. Righteous persistence brings good fortune. It will be advantageous to cross the great river (or sea).
Liu: Waiting.If you are sincere you will have glory (light) and success. Continuing leads to good fortune. It is of benefit to cross the great water (to travel to remote places).
Shaughnessy: Moistened: There is a return, radiant receipt; determination is auspicious; beneficial to ford the great river.
Cleary (1): In Waiting there is sincerity and great development. It is good to be correct. It is beneficial to cross a great river.
Cleary (2): Waiting with truthfulness lights up success in correct orientation toward good. It is beneficial to cross a great river.
Wu: Waiting indicates having confidence. It is brilliant and pervasive and auspicious to be persevering. It will be advantageous to cross the big river.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: Clouds rise up to heaven: the image of Waiting. Thus the superior man eats and drinks, is joyous and of good cheer.
Legge: The image of clouds ascending over the sky forms Waiting. The superior man, in accordance with this, eats and drinks, feasts and enjoys himself as if there were nothing else to employ him.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes clouds rising to the zenith -- inactivity! The Superior Man will pass this time in feasting and enjoyment.
Liu: Clouds rise up in the sky; this symbolizes Waiting. The superior man enjoys his food and drink. He remains relaxed and happy.
Cleary: Clouds rise to heaven, waiting. The superior person makes merry with food and drink.
Wu: The clouds ascend to the sky; this is Waiting. Thus the jun zi enjoys food and peace.
Line 1
初 九: 需 于 郊, 利 用 恆 , 无 咎 .
Wilhelm/Baynes: Waiting in the meadow. It furthers one to abide in what endures. No blame.
Legge: The first line, dynamic, shows its subject waiting on the distant border. It will be well for him to constantly maintain the purpose thus shown, in which case there will be no error.
Blofeld: Stay on the outskirts avoiding action. Constancy preserves from harm.
Liu: Waiting in the countryside. It is of benefit to continue. No regret.
Shaughnessy: Moistened in the pasture; beneficial to use constancy; there is no trouble.
Cleary: Waiting on the outskirts, it is beneficial to employ constancy; then there is no fault.
Wu: He is waiting in the countryside. It will be advantageous for him to be persistent and thus free from blame.
Line 2
九 二: 需 于 沙 , 小 有 言 , 終 吉 ．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Waiting on the sand. There is some gossip. The end brings good fortune.
Legge: The second line, dynamic, shows its subject waiting on the sand of the mountain stream. He will suffer the small injury of being spoken against, but in the end there will be good fortune.
Blofeld: Inactivity upon the river beach -- some slight gossip may arise, but the final result will be good fortune. (Sitting on a river beach watching the water flow past symbolizes watching what is going forward without taking part.)
Liu: Waiting in the sand (seashore, bank of the river) arouses gossip. Good fortune in the end.
Shaughnessy: Moistened in the sand; there are a few words; in the end auspicious.
Cleary: Waiting on the sand, there is some criticism, but it turns out well.
Wu: He is waiting on the sand. He may hear little complaints. Eventually, there will be good fortune.
Line 3
九 三 : 需 于 泥． 致 寇 至．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Waiting in the mud brings about the arrival of the enemy.
Legge: The third line, dynamic, shows its subject in the mud close by the stream. He thereby invites the approach of injury.
Blofeld: Inactivity amidst the mud -- this permits the approach of evil. (This suggests a danger of our being so bogged down that we can neither fight nor flee.)
Liu: Waiting in the mud brings on the enemy.
Shaughnessy: Moistened in the mud; it causes robbers to arrive.
Cleary: Waiting in the mud brings on enemies.
Wu: He is waiting in the mud. This invites harm.
Line 4
六 四 : 需 于 血, 出 自 穴.
Wilhelm/Baynes: Waiting in blood. Get out of the pit.
Legge: The fourth line, magnetic, shows its subject waiting in the place of blood. But she will get out of the cavern.
Blofeld: Inactivity amidst blood -- we shall emerge from the abyss.
Liu: Waiting in blood. Come out from the pit.
Shaughnessy: Moistened in the blood; it comes out from the cavity.
Cleary: Waiting in blood. Leaving the cave.
Wu: He is waiting in blood. He exits from the cave.
Line 5
九 五 : 需 于 酒 食, 貞 吉．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Waiting at meat and drink. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Legge: The fifth line, dynamic, shows its subject waiting amidst the appliances of a feast. Through his firmness and correctness there will be good fortune.
Blofeld: Inactivity amidst food and wine -- righteous persistence will bring good fortune. (We may safely relax and enjoy ourselves, but we must preserve our determination to act when the time is ripe.)
Liu: Waiting at the feast. Continuing brings good fortune.
Shaughnessy: Moistened in the wine and food; determination is auspicious.
Cleary: Waiting with food and wine, it is good to be correct.
Wu: He is waiting at feasting. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Line 6
上 六:． 入 于 穴 , 有 不 速 之 客 三 人 來 , 敬 之 , 終 吉.
Wilhelm/Baynes: One falls into the pit. Three uninvited guests arrive. Honor them, and in the end there will be good fortune.
Legge: The sixth line, magnetic, shows its subject entered into the cavern. But there are three guests coming, without being urged, to help her. If she receives them respectfully, there will be good fortune in the end.
Blofeld: Entering a pit. Three uninvited guests arrive; to honor them will ultimately bring good fortune.
Liu: Entering the pit, three unexpected guests arrive. Treat them courteously. Good fortune in the end.
Shaughnessy: Entering into the cavity; there are unbidden guests, three men, who come; respect them; in the end auspicious.
Cleary: Entering a cave. Three people come, guests not in haste: Respect them, and it will turn out well.
Cleary: … Three unhurried guests come … etc.
Wu: He enters the cave. There come three uninvited guests. To receive them with respect will be auspicious in the end.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
Hexagram 5 in the I Ching is called "Waiting" or "Nourishment." It represents a time of transition and suggests patience and contemplation. Some outcomes simply take time. They cannot be hurried. Attempting to force a result leads to unfavorable results now.
Take an objective view of any situation and try to understand why waiting is the best option. Exercise cheerful patience in order to achieve success when the time arrives. Stay calm and stay within your normal routine. If you rush ahead, this will only worsen the situation.
