法本
原文
昔之得一者：天得一以清；地得一以宁；神得一以灵；谷得一以盈；万物得一以生；侯王得一以为天下贞。其致之，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。是以侯王自称孤、寡、不谷。此非以贱为本耶？非乎？故致数誉无誉。不欲琭琭如玉，珞珞如石。
王弼注
昔之得一者，昔，始也。一，数之始而物之极也。各是一物之生，所以为主也。物皆各得此一以成，既成而舍以居成，居成则失其母，故皆裂发歇竭灭蹶也。天得一以清，地得一以宁，神得一以灵，谷得一以盈，万物得一以生，侯王得一以为天下贞。其致之，各以其一致此清、宁、灵、盈、生、贞。天无以清将恐裂，用一以致清耳，非用清以清也。守一则清不失，用清则恐裂也。故为功之母，不可舍也。是以皆无用其功，恐丧其本也。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。是以侯王自称孤﹑寡﹑不谷。此非以贱为本耶？非乎？故致数舆无舆，不欲琭琭如玉，珞珞如石。清不能为清，盈不能为盈，皆有其母以存其形，故清不足贵，盈不足多，贵在其母，而母无贵形。贵乃以贱为本，高乃以下为基，故致数舆乃无舆也，玉石琭琭珞珞，体尽于形，故不欲也。
英文 · James Legge
(The origin of the law) The things which from of old have got the One (the Dao) 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 (Dao). 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. 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.