太上，下知有之；其次，親而譽(yù)之。其次，畏之。其次，侮之。

信不足焉，有不信焉。 悠兮其貴言，功成事遂，百姓皆謂我自然。

Faith in the Invisible Power

In the ancient time, people know that there is asuper power that governs everything.

Next people worship and honour that power.

Next people are afraid of the power,

And next, people despise that power.

When people get lost in materialism,

They are blinded, and show no faith to their NatureMother.

But be aware of the old proverb,

The power doesn’t talk, but acts.

When her work is done,

the people say,“Amazing：

we did it, all be ourselves!”

[譯文]

上古時期，人類與道同在，誠信尊其規(guī)律而為；其次，人民親近贊美道；再其次，人民心存畏懼害怕之情；再后來，人民狂妄自大，誨辱和輕蔑道。當(dāng)人類迷失于私心貪欲而遠(yuǎn)離道德時，當(dāng)然就不相信有道德了。

賢明的統(tǒng)治者悠然而不輕易發(fā)號施令。事情辦成后，百姓們都說“我們本來就是這樣的”。