《道德經第三十八章》

Max Löffler

上德不德，

是以有德；

下德不失德，

是以無德。

上德無為而無以為；

下德為之而有以為。

上仁為之而無以為；

上義為之而有以為。

上禮為之而莫之應，則攘臂而扔之。

故失道而後德，失德而後仁，失仁而後義，失義而後禮。

夫禮者，忠信之薄，而亂之首。

前識者，道之華，而愚之始。

是以大丈夫處其厚，不居其薄；處其實，不居其華。

故去彼取此。

Dao De jing Chapter Thirty-eight ― C. Ganson

38

Whoever has 德 De never boasts of it,

and so truly possesses it.

Whoever has 德 De and boasts of it,

no longer possesses it.

Possessing 德 De is to be serene;

with little effort, much is done and motives diminish.

Losing 德 De is to be hasty;

with great effort, much is wasted and motives increase.

Possessing 德 De is to act out of love without ulterior motive;

losing 德 De is to act self-righteous with an ulterior motive.

When a person of high station directs but sees no following

of that direction, he shows his hand and forces direction.

When 道 Dao is lost "compassion" becomes doctrine;

when compassion is lost "justice" becomes doctrine;

when justice is lost ritual becomes doctrine.

Ritual is the slow loss of loyalty,

the beginning of unprincipled confusion.

Foreknowledge is 道 Dao blossoming;

it is also the flower of folly.

The truly wise seek the centre, not the surface;

take the fruit, leaving the flower.

Accept one and reject the other.

Dao De jing Chapter Thirty-eight ― James Legge

(About the attributes of the Dao)

(Those who) possessed in the highest degree the attributes (of the Dao) did not (seek) to show them, and therefore they possessed them (in fullest measure).

(Those who) possessed in a lower degree those attributes (sought how) not to lose them, and therefore they did not possess them (in fullest measure).

(Those who) possessed in the highest degree those attributes did nothing (with a purpose), and had no need to do anything.

(Those who) possessed them in a lower degree were (always) doing, and had the need to be so doing.

(Those who) possessed the highest benevolence were (always seeking) to carry it out, and had no need to be doing so.

(Those who) possessed the highest righteousness were (always seeking) to carry it out, and had the need to be so doing.

(Those who) possessed the highest (sense of) propriety were (always seeking) to show it, and when men did not respond to it, they bared the arm and marched up to them.

Thus it was that when the Dao was lost, its attributes appeared; when its attributes were lost, benevolence appeared; when benevolence was lost, righteousness appeared; and when righteousness was lost, the proprieties appeared.

Now propriety is the attenuated form of leal-heartedness and good faith, and is also the commencement of disorder; swift apprehension is (only) a flower of the Dao, and is the beginning of stupidity.

Thus it is that the Great man abides by what is solid, and eschews what is flimsy; dwells with the fruit and not with the flower. It is thus that he puts away the one and makes the choice of the other.

Dao De jing Chapter Thirty-eight ― Arthur Waley

The man of highest “power” does not reveal himself as a possessor of “power”;

Therefore he keeps his “power”.

The man of inferior “power” cannot rid it of the appearance of “power”;

Therefore he is in truth without “power”.

The man of highest “power” neither acts nor is there any who so regards him;

The man of inferior “power” both acts and is so regarded.

The man of highest humanity, though he acts, is not regarded;

Whereas a man of even the highest morality both acts and is so regarded;

While even he who is best versed in a ritual not merely acts,

But if people fail to respond

Then he will pull up his sleeves and advance upon them.

That is why it is said:

“After Tao was lost, then came the 'power';

After the 'power' was lost, then came human kindness.”

After human kindness was lost, then came morality,

After morality was lost, then came ritual.

Now ritual is the mere husk of loyalty and promise-keeping

And is indeed the first step towards brawling.”

Foreknowledge may be the “flower of doctrine”,

But it is the beginning of folly.

Therefore the full-grown man takes his stand upon the solid substance

And not upon the mere husk,

Upon the fruit and not upon the flower.

Truly, “he rejects that and takes this”.