原文
公有领域天之道，其猶張弓與？高者抑之，下者舉之；有餘者損之，不足者補之。天之道，損有餘而補不足。
人之道則不然，
損不足以奉有餘。
孰能有餘以奉天下？唯有道者。
是以聖人為而不恃，功成而不處，其不欲見賢。
王弼注
待校读與天地合德，乃能包之，如天之道。如人之量，則各有其身，不得相均，如惟無身無私乎，自然然後乃能與天地合德。
言唯能處盈而全虛，損有以補無，和光同塵，蕩而均者，唯其道也。是以聖人不欲示其賢以均天下。
河上公章句
待校读天道暗昧，舉物類以為喻也。
言張弓和調之，如是乃可用耳，夫抑高舉下，損強益弱，天之道也。
天道損有餘而益謙，常以中和為上。
人道則與天道反，
世俗之人損貧以奉富，奪弱以益強也。
言誰能居有餘之位，自省爵祿以奉天下不足者乎？唯有道之君能行也。
聖人為德施，不恃其報也。
功成事就，不處其位。
不欲使人知己之賢，匿功不居榮，畏天損有餘也。
Legge 1891
Public domainMay not the Way (or Tao) of Heaven be compared to the (method of) bending a bow? The (part of the bow) which was high is brought low, and what was low is raised up. (So Heaven) diminishes where there is superabundance, and supplements where there is deficiency.
It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance, and to
supplement deficiency. It is not so with the way of man. He takes
away from those who have not enough to add to his own superabundance.
Who can take his own superabundance and therewith serve all under
heaven? Only he who is in possession of the Tao!
Therefore the (ruling) sage acts without claiming the results as
his; he achieves his merit and does not rest (arrogantly) in it:--he
does not wish to display his superiority.