Hexagram 47: Exhaustion

Written by Orbitarot · Sources: James Legge, The Yi King (The I Ching), 1882 (judgment and lines); plain readings our own · Updated October 7, 2026

Hexagram 47 in plain words

The lake sits above water, but the water has drained out below. The lake is empty and the land is parched. That is the picture of exhaustion: nothing to draw on, the usual support gone. Tradition says that for the great person there is still success through perseverance, and adds that words are not believed when one is in this state.

The heart of this hexagram is inner freedom in outer limitation. The commentary says the wise person stakes their life on their aim. When nothing outside cooperates, your attitude becomes the one thing you control. Do not waste energy on complaints or long explanations; people are unlikely to listen now. Instead, act well and let your conduct speak. Look for small sources of renewal, and be careful of the twin traps of despair and stubborn struggle. Several lines describe people trapped partly by their own expectations or rigid thinking. The last line shows the way out: once you admit that your old moves are not working and decide to try something new, the vines that held you start to give way.

The judgment

In (the condition denoted by) Khwăn 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.

Translation: James Legge, 1882 (public domain).

The image

(The trigram representing) a marsh, and (below it that for a defile, which has drained the other dry so that there is) no water in it, form Khwăn. The superior man, in accordance with this, will sacrifice his life in order to carry out his purpose.

From Legge's Appendix II (the Great Symbolism), The Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882 (public domain).

In plain words: The lake has drained away and lies dry above the water below. When you are hard pressed, stay true to your purpose, even if it asks a great deal of you.

The six lines

Read only the lines that changed in your reading. Lines are counted from the bottom.

Line 1 (bottom)

The first SIX, divided, shows its subject with bare buttocks straitened under the stump of a tree. He enters a dark valley, and for three years has no prospect (of deliverance).

You sit under a bare tree and wander into a gloomy valley. Despair makes things look darker than they are; lift your head before you lose more time.

Line 2

The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject straitened amidst his wine and viands. There come to him anon the red knee-covers (of the ruler). It will be well for him (to maintain his sincerity as) in sacrificing. Active operations (on his part) will lead to evil, but he will be free from blame.

You are worn down in the middle of food and drink, comfort that does not satisfy. Help is coming from someone in authority; meet it with sincerity, and do not force a move.

Line 3

The third SIX, divided, shows its subject straitened before a (frowning) rock. He lays hold of thorns. He enters his palace, and does not see his wife. There will be evil.

You push against stone and lean on thorns, then go home and find no one there. Fighting the wrong battles leaves you more alone; stop and rethink.

Line 4

The fourth NINE, undivided shows its subject proceeding very slowly (to help the subject of the first line), who is straitened by the carriage adorned with metal in front of him. There will be occasion for regret, but the end will be good.

Help comes slowly, held up as if in a golden carriage. It is embarrassing, but you get there in the end.

Line 5

The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject with his nose and feet cut off. He is straitened by (his ministers in their) scarlet aprons. He is leisurely in his movements, however, and is satisfied. It will be well for him to be (as sincere) as in sacrificing (to spiritual beings).

You are pressed from above and below and cannot move freely. Joy comes slowly; stay calm and sincere, and keep your focus on what is right.

Line 6 (top)

The sixth SIX, divided, shows its subject straitened, as if bound with creepers; or in a high and dangerous position, and saying (to himself), 'If I move, I shall repent it.' If he do repent of former errors, there will be good fortune in his going forward.

You are tangled in creeping vines and keep telling yourself that any move will bring regret. Admit the mistake, start moving anyway, and good fortune follows.

Related hexagrams

All three relations have traditional Chinese names (cuo gua for the opposite, zong gua for the inverse, hu gua for the nuclear). Many modern readers use the opposite as the shadow side of a situation, the inverse as the same moment seen from the other side, and the nuclear hexagram as its inner core.

If one line changes

With a single changing line, hexagram 47 turns into:

Learn more: what the I Ching is, how to read changing lines, the eight trigrams, how to cast with coins or yarrow.

Hexagram 47 in love and relationships

In love, you may feel tired, unheard, or stuck. Keep your words few and your actions kind, stay true to your values, and do not let frustration make you bitter.

Hexagram 47 for work and decisions

At work, this can describe a period of exhaustion or constraint. Prove yourself through action rather than argument, protect your energy, and look for small, practical ways out.

Questions