A thought for the faithful

Glenn Schiffman gave me this quote.  It's one I find myself re-visiting often. 

Glenn tells me it was 'paraphrased from the TaoTe Ching #38 as translated by Steven Mitchell": 

When the Tao is lost, there is goodness.

When goodness is lost, there is morality.

When morality is lost, there is ritual.

Ritual is the husk of true faith,

the beginning of chaos.

In another translation (Ursula LeGuin) this verse reads thus:

So when we lose the way we find power;

losing power we find goodness;

losing goodness we find righteousness;

losing righteousness we're left with obedience.

Obedience to law is the dry husk of loyalty and faith.

Opinion is the barren flower of the Way, the beginning of ignorance.

Okay, the opinion part I've got down pat...