原文
公有领域天下皆謂我道大，似不肖。夫唯大，故似不肖。若肖，久矣其細也夫！
我有三寶，持而保之。一曰慈，二曰儉，三曰不敢為天下先。
慈故能勇，
儉故能廣，
不敢為天下先，故能成器長。
今舍慈且勇，
舍儉且廣，舍後且先，死矣！
夫慈以戰則勝，
以守則固。天將救之，以慈衛之。
王弼注
待校读久矣其細，猶曰其細久矣。肖，則失其所以為大矣。故曰，若肖久矣，其細也夫。
夫慈，以陳則勝，以守則固，故能勇也。
節儉愛費，天下不匱，故能廣也。
唯後外其身，為物所歸，然後乃能立成器為天下利，為物之長也。
且，猶取也。
相慜而不避於難，故勝也。
河上公章句
待校读老子言：天下謂我德大，我則佯愚似不肖。
唯獨名德大者為身害，故佯愚似若不肖。無所分別，無所割截，不賤人而自貴。
肖，善也。謂辨惠也。若大辨惠之人，身高自貴行察察之政所從來久矣。
言辨惠者唯如小人，非長者。
老子言：我有三寶，抱持而保倚。
愛百姓若赤子。
賦歛若取之於己也。
執謙退，不為倡始也。
以慈仁，故能勇於忠孝也。
天子身能節儉，故民日用廣矣。
不為天下首先。故能成器長。成器長，謂得道人也。我能為得道人之長也。
今世人捨慈仁，但為勇武。
捨其儉約，但為奢泰。
捨其後己，但為人先。
所行如此，動入死地。
夫慈仁者，百姓親附，並心一意，故以戰則勝敵，以守衛則堅固。
天將救助善人，必與慈仁之性，使能自營助也。
Legge 1891
Public domainAll the world says that, while my Tao is great, it yet appears
to be inferior (to other systems of teaching). Now it is just its
greatness that makes it seem to be inferior. If it were like any
other (system), for long would its smallness have been known!
But I have three precious things which I prize and hold fast. The
first is gentleness; the second is economy; and the third is shrinking
from taking precedence of others.
With that gentleness I can be bold; with that economy I can be
liberal; shrinking from taking precedence of others, I can become a
vessel of the highest honour. Now-a-days they give up gentleness and
are all for being bold; economy, and are all for being liberal; the
hindmost place, and seek only to be foremost;--(of all which the end
is) death.
Gentleness is sure to be victorious even in battle, and firmly to
maintain its ground. Heaven will save its possessor, by his (very)
gentleness protecting him.