Therefore : lose Dao, and later comes De.
Lose De, and later comes kindness.
Lose kindness, and later comes morality.
Lose morality, and later comes propriety.
Now : propriety is that which is merely the appearance
of loyalty and honesty,
And the beginning of confusion.
He who is ahead in knowledge has the flower of Dao,
But the beginning of stupidity and foolishness.
Thus the greatest elders :