Tao Te Ching · Ch. 38

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;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。

Shàng dé bù dé, shì yǐ yǒu dé; Xià dé bù shī dé, shì yǐ wú dé. Shàng dé wú wéi ér wú yǐ wéi; Shàng rén wéi zhī ér wú yǐ wéi; Shàng yì wéi zhī ér yǒu yǐ wéi; Shàng lǐ wéi zhī ér mò zhī yìng, zé rǎng bì ér rēng zhī. Gù shī dào ér hòu dé, shī dé ér hòu rén, shī rén ér hòu yì, shī yì ér hòu lǐ. Fú lǐ zhě, zhōng xìn zhī bó, ér luàn zhī shǒu. Qián shí zhě, dào zhī huá, ér yú zhī shǐ. Shì yǐ dà zhàng fū chǔ qí hòu, bù jū qí bó; Chǔ qí shí, bù jū qí huá. Gù qù bǐ qǔ cǐ.

The highest virtue does not display itself as virtue, and for this reason it truly possesses virtue. The lower virtue is always asserting its virtue, and for this reason it has no genuine virtue. The highest virtue acts without deliberate purpose; the highest benevolence acts yet without ulterior motive; the highest righteousness acts with conscious intent; the highest ritual acts and, when none respond, bares its arms and forces compliance. Thus, losing the Tao one falls to virtue; losing virtue one falls to benevolence; losing benevolence one falls to righteousness; losing righteousness one falls to ritual. Ritual is the thinning of loyalty and trust, and the first step toward disorder. Foreknowledge is the bloom of the Tao but also the beginning of foolishness. Therefore the great person dwells in the substantial, not the thin; in the fruit, not the flower. They leave that and choose this.

— Tao Te Ching 38

Source: Wang Bi edition (Chinese) + Hanyu Pinyin transliteration