The most Characterful is Characterless
And thus has Character

The least Charactered never forgets his Character
And thus has only its lack

The former plays no role, for there is no role to play
The latter acts the part, for he thinks there's a use in playing it!

The most humane plays the part, although he has no role to play
The most moral plays the part, as if there's a use for his role
The most courteous plays the part, but he ought to never
For he'll roll up his sleeves and throw courtesy to the wind

When the Way is left behind, Character remains in its wake
When Character is left behind, humaneness is left
When humaneness is discarded, morality stands
And with morality abandoned, courtesy reigns

The courteous have little loyalty to truth
And so are the sewers of discord

Your first glimpse
Is only the flower of the Way
So let it be the beginning of humility

Knowing this, a true man follows where the Way is thick
And eschews it where it's thin
Plucks its difficult fruits
And ignores its flower
So discards the far, and embraces the here

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
下德為之而有以為

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