同异
原文
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；夷道若纇；上德若谷；太白若辱；广德若不足；建德若偷；质真若渝；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。
王弼注
上士闻道，勤而行之；有志也。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：建，犹立也。明道若昧，光而不耀。进道若退，后其身而身先，外其身而身存。夷道若纇，纇，㘨也。大夷之道，因物之性，不执平以割物，其平不见，乃更反若纇㘨也。上德若谷，不德其德，无所怀也。大白若辱，知其白，守其黑，大白然后乃得。广德若不足，广德不盈，廓然无形，不可满也。建德若偷，偷，匹也。建德者，因物自然，不立不施，故若偷匹。质真若渝，质真者，不矜其真，故渝。大方无隅，方而不割，故无隅也。大器晚成，大器成天下不持全别，故必晚成也。大音希声，听之不闻名曰希，不可得闻之音也。有声则有分，有分则不宫而商矣，分则不能统众，故有声者非大音也。大象无形，有形则有分，有分者不温则炎，不炎则寒。故象而形者，非大象。道隐无名。夫唯道，善贷且成。凡此诸善，皆是道之所成也。在象则为大象，而大象无形。在音则为大音，而大音希声。物以之成而不见其成形，故隐而无名也。贷之非唯供其乏而已，一贷之则足以永终其德，故曰善贷也。成之不如机匠之裁，无物而不济其形，故曰善成。
英文 · James Legge
(Sameness and difference) Scholars of the highest class, when they hear about the Dao, 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 Dao. Therefore the sentence-makers have thus expressed themselves: 'The Dao, 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.' The Dao is hidden, and has no name; but it is the Dao which is skilful at imparting (to all things what they need) and making them complete.