无用

原文

三十辐，共一毂，当其无，有车之用。埏埴以为器，当其无，有器之用。凿户牖以为室，当其无，有室之用。故有之以为利，无之以为用。

王弼注

三十辐，共一毂，当其无，有车之用。毂所以能统三十辐者，无也，以其无能受物之故，故能以实统众也。埏埴以为器，当其无，有器之用。凿户牖以为室，当其无，有室之用。故有之以为利，无之以为用。木埴，壁之所以成，三者而皆以无为用也。言无者，有之所以为利，皆赖无以为用也。

英文 · James Legge

(The use of what has no substantive existence) The thirty spokes unite in the one nave; but it is on the empty space (for the axle), that the use of the wheel depends. Clay is fashioned into vessels; but it is on their empty hollowness, that their use depends. The door and windows are cut out (from the walls) to form an apartment; but it is on the empty space (within), that its use depends. Therefore, what has a (positive) existence serves for profitable adaptation, and what has not that for (actual) usefulness.