原文
公有领域載營魄抱一，能無離乎？
專氣致柔，能嬰兒乎？
滌除玄覽，能無疵乎？
愛國治民，能無知乎？
天門開闔，能為雌乎？
明白四達，能無為乎？
生之，
畜之。
生而不有，為而不恃，長而不宰，是謂玄德。
王弼注
待校读載，猶處也。營魄，人之常居處也，一人之真也。言人能處常居之宅，抱一清神，能常無離乎，則萬物自賓也。
專，任也，致，極也，言任自然之氣，致至柔之和，能若嬰兒之無所欲乎，則物全而性得矣。
玄，物之極也，言能滌除邪飾，至於極覽。能不以物介其明，疵之其神乎，則終與玄同也。
任術以求成，運數以求匿者，智也。玄覽無疵，猶絕聖也。治國無以智，猶棄智也。能無以智乎，則民不辟而國治之也。
天門，天下之所由從也。開闔，治亂之際也，或開或闔，經通於天下，故曰，天門開闔也。雌應而不倡，因而不為，言天門開閡能為雌乎，則物自賓而處自安矣。
言至明四達，無迷無惑，能無以為乎，則物化矣。所謂道常無為，侯王若能守，則萬物自化。
不塞其原也。
不禁其性也。
不塞其原，則物自生，何功之有。不禁其性，則物自濟，何為之恃。物自長足，不吾宰成，有德無主，非玄而何。凡言玄德，皆有德而不知其主，出乎幽冥。
河上公章句
待校读營魄，魂魄也。人載魂魄之上得以生，當愛養之。喜怒亡魂，卒驚傷魄。魂在肝，魄在肺。美酒甘肴，腐人肝肺。故魂靜志道不亂，魄安得壽延年也。
言人能抱一，使不離於身，則長存。一者，道始所生，太和之精氣也。故曰：一布名於天下，天得一以清，地得一以寧，侯王得一以為正平，入為心，出為行，布施為德，摠名為一。一之為言，志一無二也。
專守精氣使不亂，則形體能應之而柔順。
能如嬰兒內無思慮，外無政事，則精神不去也。
當洗其心，使潔淨也。心居玄冥之處，覽知萬事，故謂之玄覽也。
不淫邪也，淨能無疵病乎。
治身者，愛氣則身全；治國者，愛民則國安。
治身者呼吸精氣，無令耳聞﹔治國者，布施惠德，無令下知也。
天門謂北極紫微宮。開闔謂終始五際也。治身之天門謂鼻孔，開謂喘息也，闔謂呼吸也。
治身當如雌牝，安靜柔弱，治國應變，合而不唱也。
言達明白，如日月四通，滿於天下八極之外。故曰：視之不見，聽之不聞，彰布之於十方，煥煥煌煌也。
無有能知道滿於天下者。
道生萬物而畜養之。
道生萬物，無所取有。
道所施為，不恃望其報也。
道長養萬物，不宰割以為器用。
言道行德，玄冥不可得見，欲使人如道也。
Legge 1891
Public domainWhen the intelligent and animal souls are held together in one embrace, they can be kept from separating. When one gives undivided attention to the (vital) breath, and brings it to the utmost degree of pliancy, he can become as a (tender) babe. When he has cleansed away the most mysterious sights (of his imagination), he can become without a flaw. In loving the people and ruling the state, cannot he proceed without any (purpose of) action? In the opening and shutting of his gates of heaven, cannot he do so as a female bird? While his intelligence reaches in every direction, cannot he (appear to) be without knowledge? (The Tao) produces (all things) and nourishes them; it produces them and does not claim them as its own; it does all, and yet does not boast of it; it presides over all, and yet does not control them. This is what is called 'The mysterious Quality' (of the Tao).