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Highest virtue does not act as virtue, |
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and so it has virtue; |
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lowest virtue does not let go of virtue, |
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and so it has no virtue. |
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Highest virtue is without action and without motive; |
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lowest virtue acts, and acts with motive. |
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Highest benevolence acts, yet without motive; |
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highest righteousness acts, and acts with motive. |
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Highest ritual acts, but none respond to it, |
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then one rolls up the sleeves and throws it away. |
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Thus, after losing the Way comes virtue, |
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after losing virtue comes benevolence, |
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after losing benevolence comes righteousness, |
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After losing righteousness comes ritual. |
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Now, ritual— |
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the thinness of loyalty and trust, |
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and the beginning of chaos. |
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Foreknowledge— |
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the flower of the Way, |
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and the beginning of folly. |
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Therefore the great person dwells in the thickness, |
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not residing in the thinness; |
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dwells in the fruit, |
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not residing in the flower. |
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Thus, leave that and take this. |