1. scholars of the highest class, when they hear about the tao, earnestly carry it into practice. scholars of the middle class, when they have heard about it, seem now to keep it and now to lose it. scholars of the lowest class, when they have heard about it, laugh greatly at it. if it were not (thus) laughed at, it would not be fit to be the tao.

2. therefore the sentence-makers have thus expressed themselves:--

'the tao, when brightest seen, seems light to lack;

who progress in it makes, seems drawing back;

its even way is like a rugged track.

its highest virtue from the vale doth rise;

its greatest beauty seems to offend the eyes;

and he has most whose lot the least supplies.

its firmest virtue seems but poor and low;

its solid truth seems change to undergo;

its largest square doth yet no corner show

a vessel great, it is the slowest made;

loud is its sound, but never word it said;

a semblance great, the shadow of a shade.'

3. the tao is hidden, and has no name; but it is the tao which is skilful at imparting (to all things what they need) and making them complete.

上士闻道，勤而行之；

中士闻道，若存若亡；

下士闻道，大笑之──不笑，不足以为道。

故建言有之：明道若昧，进道若退，夷道若颣 ，上德若谷，大白若辱，广德若不足，建德若偷，质直若渝，大方无隅，大器晚成，大音希声，大象无形──道隐无名。

夫唯道，善贷且成。

【译文】

上士听了传道言谈，勤勉行证；中士听了传道言谈，似有所动，但终无所得；下士听了传道言谈，大加嘲笑──觉得除非作为笑料，简直不值一提！所以，成语有说：使人明澈的道似乎让人懵懂愚昧；使人顺利进取的道似乎让人消极后退，使人处事平易的道似乎让人曲折坎坷；大道之德使人觉得空无着落（难以用确定的价值标准作把握），一片纯白的境围使人觉得像是有污渍；普润之德使人觉得有欠缺，使人行有所成的德似乎让人慵懒怠惰；被最终认定的本真存在让人觉得它是污浊混成，普遍的框架坐标让人捉摸不到它的边隅；无不涵纳的整体存在无须急于求成，洪大的乐音缺少可让人辩别的和声，整体共同的普遍形态没有可确定的具体形态——道没有任何谓词可资界定的确定名状而归于无名。只有道，才最善于借力给万物而成就万物！