原文
公有领域善行無轍迹，
善言無瑕讁；
善數不用籌策；
善閉無關楗而不可開，善結無繩約而不可解。
是以聖人常善救人，故無棄人；
常善救物，故無棄物，是謂襲明。故善人者，不善人之師；
不善人者，善人之資。
不貴其師，不愛其資，雖智大迷，
是謂要妙。
王弼注
待校读順自然而行，不造不始，故物得至而無轍迹也。
順物之性，不別不析，故無瑕讁可得其門也。
因物之數，不假形也。
因物自然，不設不施，故不用關楗繩約而不可開解也。此五者皆言不造不施，因物之性，不以形制物也。
聖人不立形名以檢於物，不造進向以殊棄不肖，輔萬物之自然而不為始，故曰無棄人也。不尚賢能，則民不爭，不貴難得之貨，則民不為盜，不見可欲，則民心不亂。常使民心無欲無惑，則無棄人矣。
舉善以師不善，故謂之師矣。
資，取也。善人以善齊不善，以善棄不善也。故不善人，善人之所取也。
雖有其智，自任其智，不因物，於其道必失。故曰，雖智大迷。
河上公章句
待校读善行道者求之於身，不下堂，不出門，故無轍跡。
善言謂擇言而出之，則無瑕疵讁過於天下。
善以道計事者，則守一不移，所計不多，則不用籌策而可知也。
善以道閉情欲、守精神者，不如門戶有關楗可得開。
善以道結事者，乃可結其心，不如繩索可得解也。
聖人所以常教人忠孝者，欲以救人性命。
使貴賤各得其所也。
聖人所以常教民順四時者，欲以救萬物之殘傷。
聖人不賤名而貴玉視之如一。
聖人善救人物，是謂襲明大道。
人之行善者，聖人即以為人師。
資，用也。人行不善者，聖人猶教導使為善，得以給用也。
獨無輔也。
無所使也。
雖自以為智。言此人乃大迷惑。
能通此意，是謂知微妙要道也。
Legge 1891
Public domainThe skilful traveller leaves no traces of his wheels or footsteps; the skilful speaker says nothing that can be found fault with or blamed; the skilful reckoner uses no tallies; the skilful closer needs no bolts or bars, while to open what he has shut will be impossible; the skilful binder uses no strings or knots, while to unloose what he has bound will be impossible. In the same way the sage is always skilful at saving men, and so he does not cast away any man; he is always skilful at saving things, and so he does not cast away anything. This is called 'Hiding the light of his procedure.' Therefore the man of skill is a master (to be looked up to) by him who has not the skill; and he who has not the skill is the helper of (the reputation of) him who has the skill. If the one did not honour his master, and the other did not rejoice in his helper, an (observer), though intelligent, might greatly err about them. This is called 'The utmost degree of mystery.'