Tao Te Ching Chapter 18
第18章
大道廢，有仁義；智慧出，有大偽；六親不和，有孝慈；國家昏亂，有忠臣。
When the Great Tao (Way or Method) ceased to be observed, benevolence and righteousness came into vogue. (Then) appeared wisdom and shrewdness, and there ensued great hypocrisy.
When harmony no longer prevailed throughout the six kinships, filial sons found their manifestation; when the states and clans fell into disorder, loyal ministers appeared.
English: James Legge (1891), The Tâo Teh King, Sacred Books of the East vol. 39 (1891) — public domain. Chinese: Wang Bi recension (王弼本), commentary removed.
Character glossary
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 廢fèito terminate; to discard; to abgrogate
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 義yìright conduct, propriety; justice
- 智zhìwisdom, knowledge, intelligence
- 慧huìbright, intelligent; intelligence
- 出chūto go out, to send out; stand; produce
- 偽wěifalse, counterfeit, bogus
- 六liùsix
- 親qīnrelatives, parents; intimate; the hazeln
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 和héharmony, peace; calm, peaceful
- 孝xiàofilial piety, obedience; mourning
- 慈cígentle, humane, kind, merciful
- 國guócountry, nation, state; national
- 家jiāhouse, home, residence; family
- 昏hūndusk, nightfall, twilight, dark; to fain
- 亂luànanarchy, chaos; revolt
- 忠zhōngloyalty, devotion, fidelity
- 臣chénminister, statesman, official, vassal
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Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.