原文
公有领域上士聞道，勤而行之；
中士聞道，若存若亡；下士聞道，大笑之。不笑不足以為道。故建言有之：
明道若昧，
進道若退，
夷道若纇，
上德若谷，
大白若辱，
廣德若不足，
建德若偷，
質真若渝，
大方無隅，
大器晚成，
大音希聲，
大象無形，
道隱無名。夫唯道，善貸且成。
王弼注
待校读有志也。
建，猶立也。
光而不耀。
後其身而身先，外其身而身存。
纇，㘨也。大夷之道，因物之性，不執平以割物，其平不見，乃更反若纇㘨也。
不德其德，無所懷也。
知其白，守其黑，大白然後乃得。
廣德不盈，廓然無形，不可滿也。
偷，匹也。建德者，因物自然，不立不施，故若偷匹。
質真者，不矜其真，故渝。
方而不割，故無隅也。
大器成天下不持全別，故必晚成也。
聽之不聞名曰希，不可得聞之音也。有聲則有分，有分則不宮而商矣，分則不能統眾，故有聲者非大音也。
有形則有分，有分者不溫則炎，不炎則寒。故象而形者，非大象。
凡此諸善，皆是道之所成也。在象則為大象，而大象無形。在音則為大音，而大音希聲。物以之成而不見其成形，故隱而無名也。貸之非唯供其乏而已，一貸之則足以永終其德，故曰善貸也。成之不如機匠之裁，無物而不濟其形，故曰善成。
河上公章句
待校读上士聞道，自勤苦竭力而行之。
中士聞道，治身以長存，治國以太平，欣然而存之，退見財色榮譽，惑於情欲，而覆亡之也。
下士貪狠多欲，見道柔弱，謂之恐懼。見道質樸，謂之鄙陋。故大笑之。
不為下士所笑，不足以名為道。
建，設也。設言以有道，當如下句。
明道之人，若闇昧無所見。
進取道者，若退不及。
夷，平也。大道之人不自別殊，若多比類也。
上德之人若深谷，不恥垢濁也。
大潔白之人若汙辱，不自彰顯。
德行廣大之人，若愚頑不足也。
建設道德之人，若可偷引使空虛也。
質樸之人，若五色有渝淺不明也。
大方正之人，無委屈廉隅。
大器之人，若九鼎瑚璉，不可卒成也。
大音猶雷霆待時而動，喻當愛氣希言也。
大法象之人，質樸無形容。
道潛隱，使人無能指名也。
成，就也。言道善稟貸人精氣，且成就之也。
Legge 1891
Public domainScholars of the highest class, when they hear about the Tao,
earnestly carry it into practice. Scholars of the middle class, when
they have heard about it, seem now to keep it and now to lose it.
Scholars of the lowest class, when they have heard about it, laugh
greatly at it. If it were not (thus) laughed at, it would not be fit
to be the Tao.
Therefore the sentence-makers have thus expressed themselves:--
'The Tao, when brightest seen, seems light to lack;
Who progress in it makes, seems drawing back;
Its even way is like a rugged track.
Its highest virtue from the vale doth rise;
Its greatest beauty seems to offend the eyes;
And he has most whose lot the least supplies.
Its firmest virtue seems but poor and low;
Its solid truth seems change to undergo;
Its largest square doth yet no corner show
A vessel great, it is the slowest made;
Loud is its sound, but never word it said;
A semblance great, the shadow of a shade.'
The Tao is hidden, and has no name; but it is the Tao which is
skilful at imparting (to all things what they need) and making them
complete.