原文
公有领域知其雄，守其雌，為天下谿。為天下谿，常德不離，復歸於嬰兒。
知其白，守其黑，為天下式。
為天下式，常德不忒，
復歸於無極。
知其榮，守其辱，為天下谷，常德乃足，復歸於樸。
樸散則為器，聖人用之，則為官長，
故大制不割。
王弼注
待校读雄，先之屬；雌，後之屬也。知為天下之先也，必後也，是以聖人後其身而身先也。谿不求物而物自歸之，嬰兒不用智而合自然之智。
式，模則也。
忒，差也。
不可窮也。
此三者，言常反終，後乃德全其所處也。下章云，反者道之動也。功不可取，常處其母也。
樸，真也。真散則百行出，殊類生，若器也。聖人因其分散，故為之立官長。以善為師，不善為資，移風易俗，復使歸於一也。
大制者，以天下之心為心，故無割也。
河上公章句
待校读雄以喻尊，雌以喻卑。人雖自知其尊顯，當復守之以卑微，去雄之強梁，就雌之柔和，如是則天下歸之，如水流入深谿也。
人能謙下如深谿，則德常在，不復離於己。
當復歸志於嬰兒，惷然而無所知也。
白以喻昭昭，黑以喻默默。人雖自知昭昭，明白當復守之以默默，如闇昧無所見，如是則可為天下法式，則德常在。
人能為天下法式，則德常在於己，不復差忒。
德不差忒，則常生久壽，歸身於無窮極也。
榮以喻尊貴，辱以喻污濁。人能知己之有榮貴，當復守之以污濁，如是則天下歸之，如水流入深谷也。
足，止也。人能為天下谷，則德乃常止於己。
復當歸身於質樸，不復為文飾。
器，用也。萬物之樸散則為器用也。若道散則為神明，流為日月，分為五行也。
聖人升用則為百官之元長也。
聖人用之則以大道制御天下，無所傷割，治身則以大道制御情欲，不害精神也。
Legge 1891
Public domainWho knows his manhood's strength, Yet still his female feebleness maintains; As to one channel flow the many drains, All come to him, yea, all beneath the sky. Thus he the constant excellence retains; The simple child again, free from all stains. Who knows how white attracts, Yet always keeps himself within black's shade, The pattern of humility displayed, Displayed in view of all beneath the sky; He in the unchanging excellence arrayed, Endless return to man's first state has made. Who knows how glory shines, Yet loves disgrace, nor e'er for it is pale; Behold his presence in a spacious vale, To which men come from all beneath the sky. The unchanging excellence completes its tale; The simple infant man in him we hail. The unwrought material, when divided and distributed, forms vessels. The sage, when employed, becomes the Head of all the Officers (of government); and in his greatest regulations he employs no violent measures.