恐裂；地无以宁，将恐废；神无以灵，将恐歇；谷无以盈，将恐竭；万物无以生，将恐灭；侯王无以正，将恐蹶（jue:二声）dhs9• cc故贵以贱为本，高以下为基dhs9• cc是以侯王自称孤、寡、不榖（gu:三声）dhs9• cc此非以贱为本邪？非乎？故至誉无誉dhs9• cc是故不欲碌碌（lu:四声）如玉，珞珞（luo:四声）如石dhs9• cc.
40.反者道之动dhs9• cc弱者道之用dhs9• cc天下万物生于有，有生于无dhs9• cc.
41.上士闻道，勤而行之；中士闻道，若存若亡；下士闻道，大笑之dhs9• cc不笑不足以为道dhs9• cc故建言有之：明道若昧；进道若退；夷道若颣（lei:二声）；上德若谷；广德若不足；建德若偷；质真若渝（yu:二声）；大白若辱；方无隅；器晚成；大音希声；大象无形；道隐无名dhs9• cc夫唯道，善贷且成dhs9• cc.
42.道生一，一生二，二生三，三生万物dhs9• cc万物负阴而抱阳，冲气以为和dhs9• cc人之所恶，唯孤、寡、不榖，而王公以为称dhs9• cc故物或损之而益，或益之而损dhs9• cc人之所教，我亦教之，强梁者不得其死，吾将以为教父dhs9• cc.
43.天下之至柔，驰骋天下之至坚dhs9• cc无有入无间，吾是以知无为之有益dhs9• cc不言之教，无为之益，天下希及之dhs9• cc.
44.名与身孰亲？身与货孰多？得与亡孰病？甚爱必大费；多藏必厚亡dhs9• cc故知足不辱，知止不殆，可以长久dhs9• cc.
45.大成若缺，其用不弊dhs9• cc大盈若冲，其用不穷dhs9• cc大直若屈，大巧若拙，大辩若讷dhs9• cc静胜躁，寒胜热dhs9• cc清静为天下正dhs9• cc.
46.天下有道，却走马以粪dhs9• cc天下无道，戎马生于郊dhs9• cc罪莫大于可欲；祸莫大于不知足；咎（jiu:四声）莫大于欲得dhs9• cc故知足之足，常足矣dhs9• cc.
47.不出户，知天下；不窥牖（you:三声），见天道dhs9• cc其出弥远，其知弥少dhs9• cc是以圣人不行而知，不见而明，不为而成dhs9• cc.
48.为学日益，为道日损dhs9• cc损之又损，以至于无为dhs9• cc无为而无不为dhs9• cc取天下常以无事，及其有事，不足以取天下dhs9• cc