德不孤
Character gathers people
德不孤，必有邻。
Virtue is never alone; it is bound to have neighbours.
论语 · 里仁篇
· our translation
Six characters, one of the shortest claims in the Analects: what is good does not stay by itself — it attracts.
六个字，是《论语》里最短的判断之一：好东西不会自己待着，会把人聚过来。
润身
What actually improves you
富润屋，德润身，心广体胖。
Wealth adorns the house; virtue adorns the person — the heart broadens and the body is at ease.
大学 · 大学
· our translation
润 is a soaking-through kind of enrichment. Money decorates the house; 德 changes the person. That is the difference between 德 and talent.
「润」是渗进去的那种润：钱装点房子，德装点人本身。这是「德」和「才」最大的区别。
大德得其寿
The long consequence
故大德必得其位，必得其禄，必得其名，必得其寿。
Thus great virtue is sure to win its place, its reward, its name, and its length of years.
中庸 · 中庸
· our translation
The Book of Rites puts longevity last: position, reward and name are the course, long years the outcome.
《中庸》把「寿」放在最后，是说前三个是过程，寿是结果——德厚的人走得久。名字用「德」，这一层是老派的祝福。
厚德明德德音德明德厚德远德音
In a name
The part of a person that cannot be taken away from them.
「德」是一个人身上别人拿不走的那部分。