Tao Te Ching - Section 38

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上德不德， Shàng dé bù dé,	True power does not grasp for power;
是以有德； Shì yǐ yǒu dé;	Thus, it holds genuine power.
下德不失德， Xià dé bù shī dé,	Lesser power does not lose power;
是以无德。 Shì yǐ wú dé.	Thus, it lacks true power.
上德无为而无以为； Shàng dé wú wéi ér wú yǐ wéi;	True power acts without effort;
下德无为而有以为。 Xià dé wú wéi ér yǒu yǐ wéi.	Lesser power acts with intentions.
上仁为之而无以为； Shàng rén wéi zhī ér wú yǐ wéi;	True goodness acts without motives;
上义为之而有以为。 Shàng yì wéi zhī ér yǒu yǐ wéi.	True righteousness acts with motives.
上礼为之而莫之应， Shàng lǐ wéi zhī ér mò zhī yìng,	When rituals are performed and ignored,
则攘臂而扔之。 Zé rǎng bì ér rēng zhī.	The enforcer uses force.
故失道而后德， Gù shī dào ér hòu dé,	Therefore, losing Dao brings power,
失德而后仁， Shī dé ér hòu rén,	Losing power brings goodness,
失仁而后义， Shī rén ér hòu yì,	Losing goodness brings righteousness,
失义而后礼。 Shī yì ér hòu lǐ.	Losing righteousness brings rituals.
夫礼者， Fū lǐ zhě,	Rituals are the thin crust of loyalty,
忠信之薄， Zhōng xìn zhī báo,	And the start of disorder.
而乱之首。 Ér luàn zhī shǒu.	Foreknowledge is the flower of the Dao,
前识者， Qián shí zhě,	And the beginning of folly.
道之华， Dào zhī huá,	Therefore, the wise person dwells in the substance,
而愚之始。 Ér yú zhī shǐ.	Does not reside in the superficial;
是以大丈夫处其厚， Shì yǐ dà zhàng fū chǔ qí hòu,	Lives in the reality,
不居其薄； Bù jū qí báo;	Does not dwell in illusions.
处其实， Chǔ qí shí,	Thus, they embrace the essential,
不居其华。 Bù jū qí huá.	And let go of the trivial.