第三十八章

上德不德，是以有德；下德不失德，是以无德。上德无为而无以为，下德为之而有以为。上仁为之而无以为，上义为之而有以为，上礼为之而莫之应，则攘臂而扔之。故失道而后德，失德而后仁，失仁而后义，失义而后礼。夫礼者，忠信之薄而乱之首。前识者，道之华而愚之始。是以大丈夫处其厚，不居其薄；处其实，不居其华。故去彼取此。

The highest virtue is not conscious of itself as virtue, and so really is virtue. The lowest virtue never loses sight of its virtue, and so is not true virtue. The highest virtue takes no action and has no intention; the lowest virtue takes action and has intention. The highest benevolence acts without intention; the highest righteousness acts with intention; the highest ritual acts but when no one responds, it rolls up its sleeves and resorts to force. Therefore, when the Tao is lost, virtue appears; when virtue is lost, benevolence appears; when benevolence is lost, righteousness appears; when righteousness is lost, ritual appears. Ritual is the husk of loyalty and faith, and the beginning of disorder. Foreknowledge is the flower of the Tao and the beginning of folly. Therefore the great person dwells in the thick, not the thin; dwells in the fruit, not the flower. So he rejects the one and accepts the other.

白话译文

最高的德不自认为有德，所以才真正有德；低层次的德生怕失去德，所以反而没有真正的德。最高的德无所作为而且没有目的，低层次的德有所作为而且有目的。最高的仁有所作为但没有目的，最高的义有所作为而有目的，最高的礼有所作为但没人响应，就卷起袖子强迫人去做。所以失去了道才有德，失去了德才有仁，失去了仁才有义，失去了义才有礼。礼这个东西，是忠信的不足和祸乱的开始。先见之明，是道的虚华，是愚昧的开始。因此大丈夫立身于敦厚，不居于浅薄；立身于朴实，不居于浮华。所以抛弃浅薄浮华而选取敦厚朴实。

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