Chapter 38: The Nature of Virtue (第38章：論德)

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；下德無為而有以為。
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。
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Translation

High Virtue (De) does not seek to be virtuous; therefore it has Virtue.
Low Virtue never lets go of "virtue"; therefore it has no Virtue.

High Virtue does not act and has no private motive.
Low Virtue acts and has a motive.
High Humanity acts but has no motive.
High Righteousness acts and has a motive.
High Propriety acts, and if no one responds, it rolls up its sleeves and uses force.

Therefore: Lose the Dao and Virtue appears.
Lose Virtue and Humanity appears.
Lose Humanity and Righteousness appears.
Lose Righteousness and Propriety appears.

Propriety is the thinning of loyalty and trust, and the beginning of chaos.
Foreknowledge is only the flowery decoration of the Dao, and the beginning of folly.

Therefore the Great Man dwells in the thick and not the thin;
In the reality and not the decoration. He discards that and chooses this.

✦ ◆ ✦

📜 Liuren Perspective

This chapter defines the Spiritual Hierarchy of Liuren Fajiao. "High Virtue" (上德) is the spontaneous power of a master who is one with the Dao. They do not need to "try" to be good or powerful; the power is simply there. "Low Virtue" is ritual practice driven by ego or the desire for results (motive).

The warning against Propriety (禮) as the "beginning of chaos" is vital. If our rituals become mere "flowery decorations" (華) without the "Thick Reality" (厚/實) of internal cultivation, they lose their power. We must not mistake the "ceremony" for the "source."

"Foreknowledge" (前識)—such as divination without enlightenment—is also cautioned. A practitioner who relies only on "clever" predictions without the backing of De is "greatly lost." We choose the "Thick" path of direct connection to the Dao over the "Thin" path of superficial forms.

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