一孔录The video for this chapter is still in production. For now this page gives the original text, the facsimile page, a working translation and the commentary; the full reading follows when the video is out.
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。Superior virtue is not virtuous, and so it has virtue; inferior virtue never lets go of virtue, and so it has no virtue. Superior virtue does nothing and has no motive for doing; inferior virtue acts and has a motive for acting. Superior humaneness acts but has no motive; superior righteousness acts and has a motive; superior ritual acts, and when no one responds, it rolls up its sleeves and drags them along. So when the Way is lost there is virtue; when virtue is lost, humaneness; when humaneness is lost, righteousness; when righteousness is lost, ritual. Ritual is the thinning of loyalty and trust and the beginning of disorder. Foreknowledge is the flower of the Way and the beginning of folly. Therefore the great man dwells in the thick, not the thin; in the fruit, not the flower. So he rejects that and takes this.
白Plain Chinese
上德之人不自以为有德，所以有德；下德之人唯恐失德，所以无德。上德无所作为，也不以作为为目的；下德有所作为，而且有作为的目的。上仁有所作为，却没有作为的目的；上义有所作为，而且有作为的目的；上礼有所作为而没人回应，就伸出胳膊强拉人来服从。所以失去了道才讲德，失去了德才讲仁，失去了仁才讲义，失去了义才讲礼。礼是忠信的浅薄、祸乱的开端。凭先见之明，是道的虚华、愚昧的开始。所以大丈夫立身敦厚，不居于浅薄；立身朴实，不居于虚华。所以舍弃那些，取用这些。
Draft plain-Chinese rendering following Wang Bi; it will be checked when the chapter is taught.
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