原文
公有领域將欲取天下而為之，吾見其不得已。天下神器，
不可為也，為者敗之，執者失之。
故物或行或隨，或歔或吹。或強或羸，或挫或隳。是以聖人去甚，去奢，去泰。
王弼注
待校读神，無形無方也。器，合成也。無形以合，故謂之神器也。
萬物以自然為性，故可因而不可為也。可通而不可執也。物有常性，而造為之，故必敗也。物有往來而執之，故必失矣。
凡此諸或，言物事逆順反覆，不施為執割也。聖人達自然之至，暢萬物之情，故因而不為，順而不施。除其所以迷，去其所以惑，故心不亂而物性自得之也。
河上公章句
待校读欲為天下主也。
欲以有為治民。
我見其不得天道人心已明矣，天道惡煩濁，人心惡多欲。
器，物也。人乃天下之神物也，神物好安靜，不可以有為治。
以有為治之，則敗其質性。
強執教之，則失其情實，生於詐偽也。
上所行，下必隨之也。
呴，溫也。吹，寒也。有所溫必有所寒也。
有所強大，必有所贏弱也。
載，安也。隳，危也。有所安必有所危，明人君不可以有為治國與治身也。
甚謂貪淫聲色。奢謂服飾飲食。泰謂宮室臺榭。去此三者，處中和，行無為，則天下自化。
Legge 1891
Public domainIf any one should wish to get the kingdom for himself, and to effect this by what he does, I see that he will not succeed. The kingdom is a spirit-like thing, and cannot be got by active doing. He who would so win it destroys it; he who would hold it in his grasp loses it. The course and nature of things is such that What was in front is now behind; What warmed anon we freezing find. Strength is of weakness oft the spoil; The store in ruins mocks our toil. Hence the sage puts away excessive effort, extravagance, and easy indulgence.