Chapter 18 of the Laozi

Chinese Text

大dà道dào废fèi, 有yǒu仁rén义yì.
智zhì慧huì出chū, 有yǒu大dà伪wěi.
六liù亲qīn不bù和hé, 有yǒu孝xiào慈cí.
国guó家jiā昏hūn乱luàn, 有yǒu忠zhōng臣chén.

Translation

When the Great Way declined, benevolence and righteousness appeared.
When wisdom and cleverness emerged, great hypocrisy arose.
When the six family relationships lost harmony, filial piety and parental affection appeared.
When the state fell into chaos, loyal ministers emerged.

Notes

When the Great Way (道 dào) was practiced, people did not abandon one another. Where was benevolence (仁 rén)? (That is, benevolence was not yet noticeable.) People did not attack one another. Where was righteousness (义 yì)? (That is, righteousness was not yet noticeable.) But when the Tao (道 dào) declined, the absence of affection made benevolence noticeable; the existence of disobedience or rebellion made righteousness noticeable (or the fulfillment of subjects' duties).

The words "wisdom (智 zhì) and perspicacity (察 chá)" refer to those who govern.

Once wisdom (智 zhì) and perspicacity (察 chá) appeared, there were great betrayals under the guise of devotion and great hypocrisies under the guise of sincerity.

This expression refers to the father (父 fù) and son (子 zǐ), elder brothers (兄 xiōng) and younger brothers (弟 dì), husband (夫 fū) and wife (妻 qī).

In ancient times, the terms filial piety (孝 xiào) and parental affection (慈 cí) were unknown, yet these virtues existed in the hearts of fathers and children. But when the way of the world declined, many fathers lacked affection for their children, so parental affection was promoted as an example to fathers; many children lacked filial piety, so filial piety was taught to all children in the empire. Thus, the names of parental affection and filial piety arose from the discord among relatives.

庄子 Zhuāngzǐ: 尧 Yáo did not lack filial piety, yet history praises only the filial piety of 舜 Shùn. This is because 尧 Yáo did not have a father like 瞽叟 Gǔsǒu (the wickedness of 瞽叟 Gǔsǒu highlighted the filial piety of 舜 Shùn). 伊尹 Yī Yǐn and 周公 Zhōugōng did not lack loyalty to their sovereign, yet history praises only the loyalty of 龙逢 Lóngpáng and 比干 Bǐgān (the cruelty of emperors 桀 Jié and 纣 Zhòu highlighted their virtue).