Mazu Fortune Stick No. 38 · Tai Hexagram
莫說神明事渺茫，誠心禱告降嘉祥，福緣善慶真無爽，天道昭昭曲直彰。 Do not say the gods are distant and vague; pray sincerely and good fortune comes down. Blessings follow kindness without fail; heaven's way is clear, and right and wrong are plain.
The poem
莫說神明事渺茫
Do not say the gods are distant and vague;
誠心禱告降嘉祥
pray sincerely and good fortune comes down.
福緣善慶真無爽
Blessings follow kindness without fail;
天道昭昭曲直彰
heaven's way is clear, and right and wrong are plain.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 38 第三十八首 | Tai 泰 (Peace) |
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Ten years of study; fame in one stroke 十年寒窗 一舉成名 |
| Business | Honest trade flourishes 貿易不欺 欣欣向榮 |
| Pregnancy | For good descendants, first walk the right path 要好兒孫 為先當道 |
| Marriage | Choose and it goes well; a good partner can be found 選擇則吉 佳偶可得 |
| Travel | True to yourself, you meet a patron 忠直自待 必遇貴人 |
| Household | Blessings protected; lucky stars around you 信護福祿 吉星拱照 |
| Seeking wealth | Plan and manage, and it will come 經之營之 自然必有 |
| Luck of the times | Wealth the honest way; the road is open 大道生財 利路亨通 |
| Lost items | Not far away; search and it returns 失物不遠 查之即回 |
| Farming & livestock | Fields and livestock all prosper 田園六畜 皆興大利 |
| Lawsuits | A patron appears; everything goes well 逢遇貴人 各項順利 |
Readings follow the Grand Matsu Temple website; the English is our translation. The temple's list also has an "illness" reading; we leave it out. If you feel unwell, please see a doctor.
What it means
Do not say the gods are remote. Sincere prayer brings blessings; kindness is rewarded, and heaven sees clearly what is right and wrong.
Reminder: Sincerity and good deeds matter more than ritual.
This is a plain reading of the words. How it applies to your own question is best settled with the interpreter at the temple where you drew it.
How to draw a lot
- Light incense and tell Mazu your name, birth date and address, then state clearly the one matter you are asking about.
- Cast the moon blocks (jiaobei, two crescent-shaped wooden blocks) to ask whether you may draw. One face up and one face down means yes; then pull one stick from the cylinder.
- Cast the blocks again to confirm that this is your stick. Many temples ask for three yeses in a row; if not, put it back and draw again.
- Collect the poem with the matching number. Read the whole poem, then find the topic below that fits your question. If it is unclear, ask the temple's interpreter.
Ask about one thing at a time; the more specific the question, the easier the poem is to apply.
Common misunderstandings
A gloomy poem means the matter is doomed.
Most poems are reminders and directions. The same poem means different things for different questions, so look at the topic that matches yours.
You can keep drawing on the same question until you get a good poem.
By custom you ask once per matter. If you are still unsure, ask the temple's interpreter, or wait a while and ask again.
Previous: No. 37; next: No. 39.
A straight word: fortune poems are a matter of faith, and the meanings here are ours
The Chinese text, hexagram names and topic readings follow the Grand Matsu Temple of Tainan, checked line by line against three other sources; we only corrected obvious copying errors, and every page shows the temple's original wording wherever we changed it. The English translations and the plain-English meanings are our own reading of the words, not the temple's official interpretation. For a real reading, ask at the temple where you drew the lot. For legal, medical or financial questions, see a professional, and if you feel unwell, see a doctor. Everything on this site is for reference and entertainment.
Beyond the poem: your own chart
Enter your birth date to cast a free BaZi Four Pillars chart and see your Five Elements and Ten Gods.
Mazu fortune stick No. 38: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 38 say?
「莫說神明事渺茫，誠心禱告降嘉祥，福緣善慶真無爽，天道昭昭曲直彰」 In English: Do not say the gods are distant and vague; pray sincerely and good fortune comes down. Blessings follow kindness without fail; heaven's way is clear, and right and wrong are plain. It is paired with the Tai hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 38 mean?
Do not say the gods are remote. Sincere prayer brings blessings; kindness is rewarded, and heaven sees clearly what is right and wrong. Reminder: Sincerity and good deeds matter more than ritual.