道德经一章道，可道，非恒道名，可名，非恒名无名，天地之始；有名，万物之母故常无欲，以观其妙；常有欲，以观其徼此两者同出而异名，同谓之玄玄之又玄，众妙之门The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name.(Conceived of as) having no name, it is the Originator of heaven and earth; (conceived of as) having a name, it is the Mother of all things.Always without desire we must be found, If its deep mystery we would sound; But if desire always within us be, Its outer fringe is all that we shall see.Under these two aspects, it is really the same; but as development takes place, it receives the different names. Together we call them the Mystery. Where the Mystery is the deepest is the gate of all that is subtle and wonderful.二章天下皆知美之为美，斯恶已；皆知善之为善，斯不善矣。
有无相生，难易相成，长短相形，高下相盈，音声相和，前后相随，恒也是以圣人处无为之事，行不言之教，万物作而弗始，生而弗有，为而弗恃，功成而弗居夫唯弗居，是以不去All in the world know the beauty of the beautiful, and in doing this they have (the idea of) what ugliness is; they all know the skill of the skilful, and in doing this they have (the idea of) what the want of skill is.So it is that existence and non-existence give birth the one to (the idea of) the other; that difficulty and ease produce the one (the idea of) the other; that length and shortness fashion out the one the figure of the other; that (the ideas of) height and lowness arise from the contrast of the one with the other; that the musical notes and tones become harmonious through the relation of one with another; and that being before and behind give the idea of one following another. Therefore the sage manages affairs without doing anything, and conveys his instructions without the use of speech.All things spring up, and there is not one which declines to show itself; they grow, and there is no claim made for their ownership; they go through their processes, and there is no expectation (of a reward for the results). The work is accomplished, and there is no resting in it (as an achievement).The work is done, but how no one can see;'Tis this that makes the power not cease to be.三章不尚贤，使民不争；不贵难得之货，使民不为盗；不见可欲，使民心不乱。
是以圣人之治，虚其心，实其腹；弱其志，强其骨常使民无知无欲使夫知不敢弗为而已，则无不治Not to value and employ men of superior ability is the way to keep the people from rivalry among themselves; not to prize articles which are difficult to procure is the way to keep them from becoming thieves; not to show them what is likely to excite their desires is the way to keep their minds from disorder.Therefore the sage, in the exercise of his government, empties their minds, fills their bellies, weakens their wills, and strengthens their bones.He constantly (tries to) keep them without knowledge and without desire, and where there are those who have knowledge, to keep them from presuming to act (on it). When there is this abstinence from action, good order is universal.四章道冲，而用之或不盈。
渊兮，似万物之宗挫其锐，解其纷，和其光，同其尘湛兮，似或存吾不知谁之子，象帝之先The Tao is (like) the emptiness of a vessel; and in our employment of it we must be on our guard against all fulness. How deep and unfathomable it is, as if it were the Honoured Ancestor of all things!We should blunt our sharp points, and unravel the complications of things; we should attemper our brightness, and bring ourselves into agreement with the obscurity of others. How pure and still the Tao is, as if it would ever so continue!I do not know whose son it is. It might appear to have been before God.五章天地不仁，以万物为刍狗；圣人不仁，以百姓为刍狗。
天地之间，其犹橐龠乎？虚而不屈，动而愈出多闻数穷，不如守中Heaven and earth do not act from (the impulse of) any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with. The sages do not act from (any wish to be) benevolent; they deal with the people as the dogs of grass are dealt with.May not the space between heaven and earth be compared to a bellows?'Tis emptied, yet it loses not its power;'Tis moved again, and sends forth air the more.Much speech to swift exhaustion lead we see;Your inner being guard, and keep it free.六章谷神不死，是谓玄牝。
玄牝之门，是谓天地根绵绵若存，用之不勤The valley spirit dies not, aye the same;The female mystery thus do we name.Its gate, from which at first they issued forth,Is called the root from which grew heaven and earth.Long and unbroken does its power remain,Used gently, and without the touch of pain.七章天长地久天地所以能长且久者，以其不自生，故能长生是以圣人后其身而身先，外其身而身存不以其无私邪？故能成其私Heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves. This is how they are able to continue and endure.Therefore the sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as if it were foreign to him, and yet that person is preserved. Is it not because he has no personal and private ends, that therefore such ends are realised?八章上善若水。
水善利万物而不争，居众人之所恶，故几于道居善地，心善渊，与善仁，言善信，政善治，事善能，动善时夫唯不争，故无尤The highest excellence is like (that of) water. The excelle。