第 十 七 章
太 上 ， 下 知 有 之 。 其 次 ， 親 而 譽 之 。 其 次 ， 畏 之 。 其 次 ， 侮 之 。 信 不 足 焉， 有 不 信 焉 。 猶 兮 其 貴 言 。 功 成 事 遂 ， 百 姓 皆 謂 我 自 然 。
The ultimate is not known. The eyes are cherished and praised. The ears strike fear. The nose and mouth are despised and reviled. If belief is not enough, then there is no belief. Aloof is the attitude of precious words. Once success is complete, the people will say: 'I am natural'.
A difficult poem to interpret. An interpretation is as:-
As for him who is highest, the people just know he is there. His deputy's cherished and praised; of the third, they are frightened; the fourth, they dispise and revile. If you trust people less than enough, some of them never trust you.
He is aloof, as if his talk were priced beyond the purchasing; but once his project is contrived, the folk will want to say of it: 'Of course! We did it by ourselves!'
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