原文
公有领域昔之得一者，
天得一以清，地得一以寧，神得一以靈，谷得一以盈，萬物得一以生，侯王得一以為天下貞。其致之，
天無以清將恐裂，
地無以寧將恐發，神無以靈將恐歇，谷無以盈將恐竭，萬物無以生將恐滅，侯王無以貴高將恐蹶。故貴以賤為本，高以下為基。是以侯王自稱孤﹑寡﹑不穀。此非以賤為本邪？非乎？故致數輿無輿，不欲琭琭如玉，珞珞如石。
王弼注
待校读昔，始也。一，數之始而物之極也。各是一物之生，所以為主也。物皆各得此一以成，既成而舍以居成，居成則失其母，故皆裂發歇竭滅蹶也。
各以其一致此清、寧、靈、盈、生、貞。
用一以致清耳，非用清以清也。守一則清不失，用清則恐裂也。故為功之母，不可舍也。是以皆無用其功，恐喪其本也。
清不能為清，盈不能為盈，皆有其母以存其形，故清不足貴，盈不足多，貴在其母，而母無貴形。貴乃以賤為本，高乃以下為基，故致數輿乃無輿也，玉石琭琭珞珞，體盡於形，故不欲也。
河上公章句
待校读昔，往也。一，無為，道之子也。
言天得一故能垂象清明。
言地得一故能安靜不動搖。
言神得一故能變化無形。
言谷得一故能盈滿而不絕也。
言萬物皆須道以生成也。
言侯王得一故能為天下平正。
致，誡也。謂下六事也。
言天當有陰陽弛張，晝夜更用，不可但欲清明無已時，將恐分裂不為天。
言地當有高下剛柔，節氣五行，不可但欲安靜無已時，將恐發洩不為地。
言神當有王相囚死休廢，不可但欲靈變無已時，將恐虛歇不為神。
言谷當有盈縮虛實，不可但欲盈滿無已時，將恐枯竭不為谷。
言萬物當隨時生死，不可但欲長生無已時，將恐滅亡不為物。
言侯王當屈己以下人，汲汲求賢，不可但欲貴高於人無已時，將恐顛蹶失其位。
言必欲尊貴，當以薄賤為本，若禹稷躬稼，舜陶河濱，周公下白屋也。
言必欲尊貴，當以下為本基，猶築牆造功，因卑成高，下不堅固，後必傾危。
孤寡喻孤獨，不轂喻不能如車轂為眾輻所湊。
言侯王至尊貴，能以孤寡自稱，此非以賤為本乎，以曉人。
嗟嘆之辭。
致，就也。言人就車數之為輻、為輪、為轂、為衡、為轝，無有名為車者，故成為車，以喻侯王不以尊號自名，故能成其貴。
琭琭喻少，落落喻多，玉少故見貴，石多故見賤。言不欲如玉為人所貴，如石為人所賤，當處其中也。
Legge 1891
Public domainThe things which from of old have got the One (the Tao) are--
Heaven which by it is bright and pure;
Earth rendered thereby firm and sure;
Spirits with powers by it supplied;
Valleys kept full throughout their void
All creatures which through it do live
Princes and kings who from it get
The model which to all they give.
All these are the results of the One (Tao).
If heaven were not thus pure, it soon would rend;
If earth were not thus sure, it would break and bend;
Without these powers, the spirits soon would fail;
If not so filled, the drought would parch each vale;
Without that life, creatures would pass away;
Princes and kings, without that moral sway,
However grand and high, would all decay.
Thus it is that dignity finds its (firm) root in its (previous)
meanness, and what is lofty finds its stability in the lowness (from
which it rises). Hence princes and kings call themselves 'Orphans,'
'Men of small virtue,' and as 'Carriages without a nave.' Is not this
an acknowledgment that in their considering themselves mean they see
the foundation of their dignity? So it is that in the enumeration of
the different parts of a carriage we do not come on what makes it
answer the ends of a carriage. They do not wish to show themselves
elegant-looking as jade, but (prefer) to be coarse-looking as an
(ordinary) stone.