Cary Chan

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；下德无为而有以为。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。Chapter 38The Master doesn't try to be powerful;thus he is truly powerful.The ordinary man keeps reaching for power;thus he never has enough.The Master does nothing,yet he leaves nothing undone.The ordinary man is always doing things,yet many more are left to be done.The kind man does something,yet something remains undone.The just man does something,and leaves many things to be done.The moral man does something,and when no one respondshe rolls up his sleeves and uses force.When the Tao is lost, there is goodness.When goodness is lost, there is morality.When morality is lost, there is ritual.Ritual is the husk of true faith,the beginning of chaos.Therefore the Master concerns himself with the depths and not the surface,with the fruit and not the flower.He has no will of his own.He dwells in reality,and lets all illusions go.