原文
公有领域天下有始，以為天下母。
既得其母，以知其子，既知其子，復守其母，沒身不殆。
塞其兌，閉其門，
終身不勤。
開其兌，濟其事，終身不救。
見小曰明，守柔曰強。
用其光，
復歸其明，
無遺身殃，是為習常。
王弼注
待校读善始之則善養畜之矣，故天下有始則可以為天下母矣。(按此段注文原脫，據樓宇烈補。)
母，本也，子，末也。得本以知末，不舍本以逐末也。
兌，事欲之所由生；門，事欲之所由從也。
無事永逸，故終身不勤也。
不閉其原而濟其事，故雖終身不救。
為治之功不在大，見大不明，見小乃明。守强不强，守柔乃强也。
顯道以去民迷。
不明察也。
道之常也。
河上公章句
待校读始有道也。
道為天下萬物之母。
子，一也。既知道己，當復知一也。
己知一，當復守道反無為也。
不危殆也。
兌，目也。目不妄視也。
門，口也。使口不妄言。
人當塞目不妄視，閉口不妄言，則終生不勤苦。
開目視情欲也。
濟，益也。益情欲之事。
禍亂成也。
萌芽未動，禍亂未見為小，昭然獨見為明。
守柔弱，日以強大也。
用其目光於外，視時世之利害。
復當返其光明於內，無使精神洩也。
內視存神，不為漏失。
人能行此，是謂修習常道。
Legge 1891
Public domain(The Tao) which originated all under the sky is to be considered as the mother of them all. When the mother is found, we know what her children should be. When one knows that he is his mother's child, and proceeds to guard (the qualities of) the mother that belong to him, to the end of his life he will be free from all peril. Let him keep his mouth closed, and shut up the portals (of his nostrils), and all his life he will be exempt from laborious exertion. Let him keep his mouth open, and (spend his breath) in the promotion of his affairs, and all his life there will be no safety for him. The perception of what is small is (the secret of clear-sightedness; the guarding of what is soft and tender is (the secret of) strength. Who uses well his light, Reverting to its (source so) bright, Will from his body ward all blight, And hides the unchanging from men's sight.