kili en ala kasi kule wip
lipu Pona — kasi nanpa 38
| 上德不德 | pona sewi li pona ala la, | Superior virtue is not virtuous |
| 是以有德 | ona li jo e pona. | Therefore it has virtue. |
| 下德不失德 | pona anpa li weka ala la, | Inferior virtue never fails to be virtuous |
| 是以无德 | ona li weka e pona. | Therefore it has no virtue. |
| 上德无为 | pona sewi li pali ala la, | Superior virtue does not “act” |
| 而无以为 | ona li wile ala. | And has no intentions. |
| 下德为之 | pona anpa li pali la, | Inferior virtue “acts” |
| 而有以为 | ona li wile ale. | And always has intentions. |
| 上仁为之 | olin sewi li pali la, | Superior humaneness “acts” |
| 而无以为 | ona li wile ala. | But has no intentions. |
| 上义为之 | sama sewi li pali la, | Superior justice “acts” |
| 而有以为 | ona li wile ale. | But has intentions. |
| 上礼为之 | PROPRIETY sewi li tawa jan, jan li pali sama ala la, | Superior propriety “acts” and if you don’t respond |
| 则攘臂 | ona li pilin utala li pilin mu. | They will roll up their sleeves and threaten you. |
| 故失道 | tenpo li weka e nasin la, ona li jo e pona. | Thus, when the Way is lost there is virtue |
| 失德 | tenpo li weka e pona la, ona li jo e olin. | When virtue is lost there is humaneness |
| 失仁 | tenpo li weka e olin la, ona li jo e sama. | When humaneness is lost there is justice |
| 失义 | tenpo li weka e sama la, ona li jo e PROPRIETY. | And when justice is lost there is propriety. |
| 夫礼者 | Now “propriety” is the external appearance of loyalty and sincerity | |
| 而乱之首 | And the beginning of disorder. | |
| 前识者 | Occult abilities are just flowers of the Way | |
| 而愚之始 | And the beginning of foolishness. | |
| 是以大丈 | Therefore the Great Person dwells in the substantial | |
| 不居其薄 | And not in the superficial. | |
| 处其实 | Rests in the fruit and not in the flower. | |
| 故去彼取此 | la o weka. o jo e ni. | So let go of that and grasp this. |