原文
公有领域天下皆知美之為美，斯惡已。皆知善之為善，斯不善已。故有無相生，難易相成，長短相較，高下相傾，音聲相和，前後相隨。
是以聖人處無為之事，
行不言之教；萬物作焉而不辭，生而不有，為而不恃，
功成而弗居。
夫唯弗居，是以不去。
王弼注
待校读美者，人心之所進樂也；惡者，人心之所惡疾也。美惡，猶喜怒也；善不善，猶是非也。喜怒同根，是非同門，故不可得偏舉也。此六者皆陳自然不可偏舉之明數也。
自然已足，為則敗也。
智慧自備，為則偽也。
因物而用，功自彼成，故不居也。
使功在己，則功不可久也。
河上公章句
待校读自揚己美，使彰顯也。
有危亡也。
有功名也。
人所爭也。
見有而為無也。
見難而為易也。
見短而為長也。
見高而為下也。
上唱下必和也。
上行下必隨也。
以道治也。
以身師導之也。
各自動也。
不辭謝而逆止。
元氣生萬物而不有。
道所施為，不恃望其報也。
功成事就，退避不居其位。
夫惟功成不居其位。
福德常在，不去其身也。此言不行不可隨，不言不可知疾。上六句有高下長短，君開一源，下生百端，百端之變，無不動亂。
Legge 1891
Public domainAll in the world know the beauty of the beautiful, and in doing this they have (the idea of) what ugliness is; they all know the skill of the skilful, and in doing this they have (the idea of) what the want of skill is.
So it is that existence and non-existence give birth the one to (the idea of) the other; that difficulty and ease produce the one (the idea of) the other; that length and shortness fashion out the one the figure of the other; that (the ideas of) height and lowness arise from the contrast of the one with the other; that the musical notes and tones become harmonious through the relation of one with another; and that being before and behind give the idea of one following another.
Therefore the sage manages affairs without doing anything, and conveys his instructions without the use of speech.
All things spring up, and there is not one which declines to show itself; they grow, and there is no claim made for their ownership;
they go through their processes, and there is no expectation (of a reward for the results). The work is accomplished, and there is no
resting in it (as an achievement).
The work is done, but how no one can see;
'Tis this that makes the power not cease to be.