Dao De Jing, chapter 18
Wednesday, 28 August 2024 07:18![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lnhammerWhen the Great Way was abandoned,
We then had [i.e., valued] benevolence and righteousness;
When intelligence and cleverness emerged,
We then had great deceit;
When the six kinships lost harmony,
We then had filial piety and parental affection;
When the states descended into chaos,
We then had loyal officials.
大道废，
有仁义；
智慧出，
有大伪；
六亲不和，
有孝慈；
国家昏乱，
有忠臣。
Another pithy jab at Confucianism and similar systems: “we wouldn’t need to stress all these ethical principles if we just followed the Way.” All the whens and thens were understood from the usual “other texts,” which have the conjunctions.
---L.
We then had [i.e., valued] benevolence and righteousness;
When intelligence and cleverness emerged,
We then had great deceit;
When the six kinships lost harmony,
We then had filial piety and parental affection;
When the states descended into chaos,
We then had loyal officials.
大道废，
有仁义；
智慧出，
有大伪；
六亲不和，
有孝慈；
国家昏乱，
有忠臣。
Another pithy jab at Confucianism and similar systems: “we wouldn’t need to stress all these ethical principles if we just followed the Way.” All the whens and thens were understood from the usual “other texts,” which have the conjunctions.
---L.