Mazu's Fortune Poems: all 100 poems explained

Mazu's Fortune Poems has 100 poems. From Mazu, the goddess of the sea. Each poem is paired with an I Ching hexagram. Ask about safety, travel, and the road ahead. Each one has its own page with the poem in English and Chinese, a plain-English reading, and advice for common questions. Tap a number to read it.

What each poem is about

• No. 1 The dawn sun rises, soft and slow, and all the world grows warm.
  The weather outside is fine, and life feels full and safe
• No. 2 Serve your ruler well, and repay your parents' love.
  Be true in every relationship, and your boat will sail steady
• No. 3 A good match was tied in a life before.
  This good match was made long ago, and the red string brings you together today
• No. 4 Spring arrives, and gentle rain soaks the ground.
  The spring rain is here, and it's time to plant
• No. 5 In one night, the glad east wind urges spring along.
  The east wind opens every flower overnight
• No. 6 Heaven has always loved all living things.
  Heaven cares for every living thing, and cold winds come along with warm ones
• No. 7 Wind and cloud fill your eyes; you can't see an arm's length.
  When it's foggy and you can't tell where to go, turn the boat back first
• No. 8 You have stored up kindness for decades now.
  Years of kindness bring good times on their own, so there's no need to keep asking
• No. 9 How could the world's affairs ever be perfect?
  Nothing in life is perfect, and a good heart carries you a long way
• No. 10 When good times peak, hard times follow, and you don't see it.
  Luck rises and falls, the way the seasons turn
• No. 11 Wild wind and frightening waves; east and west are lost.
  When the storm has turned you around, look up for that lamp
• No. 12 You drift with the current across the open sea,
  It's fine to set out and go your own way
• No. 13 Born to wealth and honor, you have much to be proud of.
  Your good fortune comes from the kindness your family stored up
• No. 14 Ten years of hard study by the window.
  Your ten years of study weren't wasted
• No. 15 Rice sown on the highland meets a year of drought.
  Plant high and the drought comes; plant low and the rain floods in
• No. 16 The sacred banner turns suddenly to the east.
  Things are turning in your favor, and good news will come at an easy pace
• No. 17 Seek a name, and the road ahead runs open.
  There's a road to both a good name and money
• No. 18 You are a plum tree growing on a cliff,
  You're like a clean, bright plum blossom on a cliff
• No. 19 A white-haired fisherman sits by the Wei River.
  Like the white-haired fisherman by the Wei River, things change once the time is right
• No. 20 Tame the tiger, calm the dragon, and quietly refine the elixir.
  Your practice has paid off, and now you can step out past the gate
• No. 21 Your luck has not fully opened yet.
  Your luck isn't fully open yet
• No. 22 Fortune and favor have never been easy to win.
  Good fortune is hard to chase, so don't wear yourself out scheming for it
• No. 23 Everyone knows a ship relies on the gods.
  A boat needs the gods' protection and your own care
• No. 24 Everyone says this year is better than the last.
  This year is better than last, and home feels warm
• No. 25 The great sword Tai'e gleams cold in your hand.
  You hold a fine sword and carry yourself well
• No. 26 Hardworking, thrifty, and with a good plan,
  Hard work, thrift, and a good plan go a long way
• No. 27 With the sons of nobles as your hosts,
  When someone has your back, stand up straight on your own, too
• No. 28 A small sore on the back can grow; guard against it.
  Deal with small problems early, before they grow
• No. 29 Do good, and a hundred blessings come down.
  Doing good brings all kinds of blessings to your home
• No. 30 A lady with knitted brows looks up at the sky.
  Your heart is heavy, and the one you're waiting for is far away
• No. 31 The scholar at his cold window meets a thriving age.
  Your hard study meets a good time
• No. 32 Nine times refined, the cinnabar elixir is done.
  Keep putting in the work, round after round, and you'll feel lighter once it's done
• No. 33 Sweet words and clever talk seem so warm.
  If something seems too sweet, wait before you take a bite
• No. 34 What is set in a life is set, without error.
  The poem says some things are set, but it leaves a door open
• No. 35 For now you stay in a thatched hut with a reed window.
  Don't be sad about a humble place for now; accept where you are and stay cheerful
• No. 36 Wealth graces a house; virtue graces a person.
  Money makes a house look nice, and good character makes a person shine
• No. 37 Why should flesh and kin be of different minds?
  Hard feelings in the family wear you down, body and heart
• No. 38 Don't say the gods are distant and unclear.
  The gods aren't as far away as you think
• No. 39 I am the Great Being, the sail of mercy.
  Guanyin eases suffering out of mercy
• No. 40 Your heart right now isn't clear.
  Once your heart is clear, asking once is enough
• No. 41 In every trade, work hard and stay focused.
  Focus on your own work, and your income will grow bit by bit
• No. 42 Wealth and joy come to your home in full measure.
  Plenty of money and happiness are coming to your home
• No. 43 Spring and summer bring their share of chatter and fuss.
  Spring and summer may bring some gossip, but things get better by winter
• No. 44 Black and white must be clearly told apart.
  Like a game of go, look at the whole board first
• No. 45 High rank and honor, too great to measure.
  Your future is bigger than you can measure, and you carry real weight
• No. 46 You drift alone, like duckweed on the water.
  When you feel adrift with no boat to cross, don't lose heart
• No. 47 Sharing one boat, sharing one fate, that's how it goes.
  When you share a boat with others, take care of the oar in your own hands
• No. 48 A thousand plans, a hundred tricks, and all come to nothing.
  When every plan falls through, don't be hard on yourself
• No. 49 You meet someone who can help, and feel close at once.
  You'll meet someone who helps you and feels like an old friend
• No. 50 The work of immortals is set from long ago.
  What you're meant to build is already on its way, so head east, then south
• No. 51 The River of Heaven runs clear and shallow, without a single wave.
  Even things that have always gone smoothly need a little care now and then, especially…
• No. 52 A precious mirror lies in dust, long unpolished.
  A dusty old mirror shines again once you wipe it
• No. 53 At the rapids, the pole must move fast.
  At the rapids, the boatman has to grip tight
• No. 54 In the past, you did things in a muddle.
  It's fine that you were muddled before
• No. 55 A thousand granaries, grain heaped like mountains.
  When you have extra, share some with people in need, and keep planting good seeds
• No. 56 Plant bamboo at Lantian, and find a pair of jade disks.
  Like a pair of jade disks, or two phoenixes flying side by side, something rare is coming
• No. 57 Your life is quiet, and true friends are few.
  It's all right to have only a few close friends
• No. 58 In ten days or a month, the waves lie flat.
  The waves are about to calm down, and a good chance is still ahead
• No. 59 Not for trade or craft, not for the farm,
  Keep your head down and give yourself to one thing
• No. 60 Your fine sword has sent the goblins scattering.
  You've already made it through plenty of hard times
• No. 61 You know the Yellow Court by heart and love the immortals' way.
  Caring for your mind and body brings a good match
• No. 62 Don't toss your little cleverness around now.
  Don't misuse your cleverness, because hurting others ends up hurting you
• No. 63 Let me tell you plainly, my friend:
  The road ahead is a bit rough
• No. 64 Fighting for fame and grabbing for gain, what is it worth?
  What you grab isn't always yours, like flowers in a mirror you can't pick
• No. 65 Slight the sun, moon, and stars, and wrongs pile up.
  You may feel restless and slip up easily these days
• No. 66 Day after day, you pride yourself on clever schemes.
  No amount of scheming beats heaven's one plan
• No. 67 Surely you'll feel a breeze lift beneath your arms.
  A cool touch of rain and dew is coming to refresh you
• No. 68 Suddenly a dragon rises from the sea,
  When big waves come, a calm heart doesn't panic
• No. 69 Children on bamboo horses run out in welcome.
  Everyone is happy, the weather is kind, and every home celebrates a good harvest
• No. 70 I promise you three days of favoring wind.
  When the wind comes, take your boat out
• No. 71 For now, keeping shop beats traveling to trade.
  For now, staying put and minding your shop beats running around
• No. 72 Poverty and illness weigh twice as heavy on you.
  When things are really hard, stop for a while and close the door
• No. 73 An old friend sends me a letter,
  Go ahead and accept an old friend's invitation
• No. 74 You two share a bond from long ago.
  Look at the person beside you who isn't family but has stayed with you all along
• No. 75 A lone goose crosses ten thousand miles of sky.
  Like a lone goose with no companion, rest by the reeds for a while
• No. 76 A single leaf of a boat on endless waves,
  Even a little boat on the wide sea can be steady as a rock
• No. 77 You want the true news of the road ahead?
  There may be mountains of snow ahead, but don't be afraid
• No. 78 The Dragon King's shell palace is strict and grand.
  Going out to do business will pay off, and your wealth will pile up
• No. 79 Purple edicts and yellow seals shine through the ages.
  Lucky clouds follow you along the way
• No. 80 I know well the debts from a life before.
  When something slips out of your hands, don't rush to be angry
• No. 81 Su Qin comes home in triumph, proud and full of himself.
  Don't let pride take over when things go well
• No. 82 When the wild geese come, your luck opens up.
  When the wild geese come, your luck opens up and you can take things easy
• No. 83 At Wanli Bridge, you see a traveler off.
  No need to talk about how hard it was
• No. 84 Coins by the ten thousand, heaped like a hill,
  When money piles up, learn to manage it, like stringing coins on a cord
• No. 85 Under a lonely star, it's best to rest.
  When the road is hard and people drift apart, stop for a while
• No. 86 Raised on rivers, you're used to steering boats.
  Even water you know well can change
• No. 87 Don't listen to the words of a wagging tongue.
  Don't listen to gossip
• No. 88 Someone sets off to trade the red oranges of Dongting,
  Good luck often shows up when you least expect it
• No. 89 The east house cooks an ox, yet its prayers go unheard.
  It's not about how big the offering is
• No. 90 Carpenter or wheelwright, stick to your one craft.
  One good craft is enough to feed your family
• No. 91 Here is a peony tree, plain to see,
  A flower about to bloom may meet wind and rain
• No. 92 In all things, patience serves you best.
  Before the words come out, before your hand moves, pause for a moment
• No. 93 You search the peaks of Tai and Hua for a place to call home.
  High places are reached one step at a time
• No. 94 Long ago, a fisherman found the Peach Blossom Spring.
  Once a good chance is gone, it's hard to find again
• No. 95 Bamboo and trees ring the walls; rice fills the fields.
  The fields are full, the hens and dogs are content, and your duties are done
• No. 96 Money grows in places no one knows.
  Money comes from many places, so don't strain to chase it far away
• No. 97 For now, a wild typhoon is blowing.
  The wind and rain are strong right now, but you'll come through safely
• No. 98 Honor, riches, and a lofty rank.
  People who are loyal and caring move heaven and earth
• No. 99 Suddenly magpies chatter loudly under the eaves.
  The magpies are chattering under the eaves, and good news is on its way
• No. 100 Stick one hundred is the hardest one to draw.
  When your luck is at its fullest, learn to hold it steady