1. the things which from of old have got the one (the tao) are--

heaven which by it is bright and pure;

earth rendered thereby firm and sure;

spirits with powers by it supplied;

valleys kept full throughout their void

all creatures which through it do live

princes and kings who from it get

the model which to all they give. all these are the results of the one (tao).

2. if heaven were not thus pure, it soon would rend;

if earth were not thus sure, 'twould break and bend;

without these powers, the spirits soon would fail;

if not so filled, the drought would parch each vale;

without that life, creatures would pass away;

princes and kings, without that moral sway,

however grand and high, would all decay.

3. thus it is that dignity finds its (firm) root in its (previous) meanness, and what is lofty finds its stability in the lowness (from which it rises). hence princes and kings call themselves 'orphans,' 'men of small virtue,' and as 'carriages without a nave.' is not this an acknowledgment that in their considering themselves mean they see the foundation of their dignity? so it is that in the enumeration of the different parts of a carriage we do not come on what makes it answer the ends of a carriage. they do not wish to show themselves elegant-looking as jade, but (prefer) to be coarse-looking as an (ordinary) stone.

昔之得一者：

天得一以清；

地得一以宁；

谷得一以盈；

万物得一以生；

侯王得一以为天下正。

其致之也。

天无以清，将恐裂；

地无以宁，将恐发；

神无以灵，将恐歇；

谷无以盈，将恐竭；

万物无以生，将恐灭；

侯王无以贵高，将恐蹶。

故贵以贱为本，高以下为基。

是以侯王自谓孤、寡、不谷。

此非以贱为本邪？非乎？

故致数誉，无誉。

不欲琭琭如玉，珞珞如石。

【译文】

过去曾经达到浑融一体的：天因为浑融一体而清明，地因为浑融一体而宁定，精神因为浑融一体（即"营魄抱一"）而活灵，虚空因为浑融一体而到处充盈，万物因为浑融一体而生长，侯王因为与百姓浑融一体而保持了统治地位──这些（清、宁、灵等德能表观）都是因为它们达到了浑融一体而自然达成的。天如果没有浑融一体而清明，恐怕终将崩裂；地如果没有浑融一体而宁定，恐怕终将发生大动荡；精神如果没有浑融一体而活灵活现，恐怕终将萎顿枯灭；虚空如果没有浑融一体而到处充盈，恐怕终将无以为继；万物如果没有浑融一体而生长，恐怕终将灭亡，侯王如果没有与天下百姓浑融一体而高高在上，恐怕终将被颠覆。所以，在一个谐和统一体中，贵以贱为根本，高以下为基础。因此，侯王们常常说自己孤弱、无助、不谦虚，这不正是因为他们充分体认到必须以贱为根本吗？所以，多求德能表观，则没有德能表观。既不要一味地像宝玉那样华丽高贵，也不要一直像石头那样顽劣下贱。