Tao Te Ching Chapter 38
第38章
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。
(Those who) possessed in highest degree the attributes (of the Tao) 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 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 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 Tao 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 Tao, 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 choice of the other.
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
- 上shàngabove, on top, superior; to go up; to at
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 失shīto lose; to make a mistake, to neglect
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 義yìright conduct, propriety; justice
- 禮lǐcourtesy, manners, social customs
- 莫mòcannot; do not; is not; negative
- 應yīngshould, must; to respond, to handle; to
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 攘rǎngto usurp, to seize; to repel
- 臂bìarm
- 扔rēngto throw, to hurl, to cast away
- 故gùreason, cause; happening, instance
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 後hòuafter; behind, rear; descendants
- 夫fūman, husband; worker; those
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 忠zhōngloyalty, devotion, fidelity
- 信xìnto trust, to believe; letter, sign
- 薄báothin, slight; meager, weak; poor, stingy
- 亂luànanarchy, chaos; revolt
- 首shǒuchief, head, leader
- 前qiánin front, forward; former, preceding
- 識shíknowledge; to understand, to recognize,
- 華huáflowery; illustrious; Chinese
- 愚yústupid, foolish
- 始shǐto begin, to start; beginning
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 丈zhànggentleman, man, husband; unit of length
- 處chùto reside at, to live in; place, locale;
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 厚hòugenerous; substantial; deep (as a friend
- 居jūto live, to reside; to dwell; to sit
- 實shíreal, true; honest, sincere
- 去qùto go away, to leave, to depart
- 彼bǐthat, those, the other
- 取qǔto take, to receive, to obtain; to selec
- 此cǐthis, these; in this case, then
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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.