Chapter 18
大道废
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。
When the Great Dao was discarded, only then came ren and right. When wisdom and insight emerged, only then came the Great Artifice. When the six kinship classes fell out of harmony, only then came filiality and parental kindness. When the state is darkened with chaos, only then do the loyal ministers appear.
A modern classroom translation, with labeled subsections for study.
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