38
HIGH Virtue is non-virtuous;
Therefore it has Virtue.
Low Virtue
never frees itself from virtuousness;
Therefore it has no Virtue.
High Virtue makes no fuss and has no private ends
to
serve:
Low Virtue not only fusses but has private ends to serve.
High humanity fusses but has no private ends to serve:
High morality
not only fusses but has private ends
to serve.
High ceremony
fusses but finds no response;
Then it tries to enforce itself with
rolled-up sleeves.
Failing Tao, man resorts to Virtue.
Failing Virtue, man resorts to
humanity.
Failing humanity, man resorts to morality.
Failing
morality, man resorts to ceremony.
Now, ceremony is the merest husk of
faith and loyalty;
It is the beginning of all confusion and disorder.
As to foreknowledge, it is only the flower of Tao,
And the beginning
of folly.
Therefore, the full-grown man sets his heart upon
the
substance rather than the husk;
Upon the fruit rather than the
flower.
Truly, he prefers what is within to what is without.
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