1. 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.

2. 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.

3. therefore the sage manages affairs without doing anything, and conveys his instructions without the use of speech.

4. 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.

天下皆知美之为美，斯恶矣；皆知善之为善，斯不善矣。

故有无相生，难易相成，长短相形，高下相倾，音声相和，前后相随……

是以圣人处无为之事，行不言之教，万物作焉而不辞，生而不有，为而不恃，功成而不居。

夫唯不居，是以不去。

【译文】

天下人都知道美之所以为美，于是就有了令人嫌恶的丑；都知道善之所以为善，于是就有了反面的不善。所以，"有"与"无"相互突显，"难"与"易"相互促成，"长"与"短"相互显现，"高"与"下"相依而存，"音"与"声"相互陪衬，"前"与"后"相互照应——这些"名"相反而相成，迁延不居而不独立自足。因此，圣人从事于无所成名的事务，施行无须仗名立言的劝教，坦荡迎候万物的涌现与流变而不抵触畏避，生养了一切并不拘系自有，做成了什么并不执为仗恃，成就了事业并不矜居功名。就是因为他不矜居功名，所以他不会消逝。