What this change means
The fourth line describes help that arrives slowly, slowly, as if stuck in a metal carriage. There's distress in that delay, but also an end to it. Its practical point is that helping others when times are hard matters, and that help has to come quickly to do any good. When this line moves, the Lake above turns into Water, and the figure becomes water over water. The resulting hexagram, 29 Water, describes a time when obstacles come one after another and you get past them only by keeping moving, like a stream that doesn't stagnate. So the risk here is slowness. If you hesitate to act, for yourself or for someone who needs you, the pressure keeps piling up. Move steadily, don't let fear freeze you, and when you can lend a hand, do it now rather than later. The difficulties are real, but they do pass for those who keep flowing.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 4 of 47 Overwhelmed
Helping others in times of hardship matters, but that help has to be quick to do its job.
Comes slowly, slowly, hard pressed in a metal carriage. Distress, but there is an end.
- The judgment of 47 Overwhelmed
Things are very much against you: the wrong people surround you, no one believes what you say, and obstacles hem you in. All you can do is accept it and wait for better conditions to come. Your only resource is the inner light that lives in you; turn to that strength to hold you up right now.
Success. For the great person, constancy brings good fortune. No fault. They speak and are not believed.
- The judgment of 29 Water
Just as a stream moves through obstacles and gets past them, following its course without stagnating, you're at a time when obstacles will come one after another, but you'll get past them if you can keep moving. Letting fear paralyze you will only leave you stuck.
There is sincere trust. Only the heart gets through. Going earns esteem.
The trigrams
The way back
29 Water → 47 Overwhelmedline 4
Other transformations of Overwhelmed
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.