原文
公有领域道常無為
而無不為。
侯王若能守之，萬物將自化。化而欲作，吾將鎮之以無名之樸。
無名之樸，夫亦將無欲。
不欲以靜，天下將自定。
王弼注
待校读順自然也。
萬物無不由為以治以成之也。
化而欲作，作欲成也。吾將鎮之無名之樸，不為主也。
無欲競也。
河上公章句
待校读道以無為為常也。
言侯王若能守道，萬物將自化效於己也。
吾，身也。無明之樸，道德也。萬物已化效於己也。復欲作巧偽者，侯王當身鎮撫以道德也。
言侯王鎮撫以道德，民亦將不欲，故當以清靜導化之也。
能如是者，天下將自正定也。
Legge 1891
Public domainThe Tao in its regular course does nothing (for the sake of doing it), and so there is nothing which it does not do. If princes and kings were able to maintain it, all things would of themselves be transformed by them. If this transformation became to me an object of desire, I would express the desire by the nameless simplicity. Simplicity without a name Is free from all external aim. With no desire, at rest and still, All things go right as of their will.