为道
原文
道者万物之奥。善人之宝，不善人之所保。美言可以市，尊行可以加人。人之不善，何弃之有？故立天子，置三公，虽有拱璧以先驷马，不如坐进此道。古之所以贵此道者何？不曰：以求得，有罪以免耶？故为天下贵。
王弼注
道者万物之奥。奥，犹暧也。可得庇荫之辞。善人之宝，宝以为用也。不善人之所保。保以全也。美言可以市，尊行可以加人。言道无所不先，物无有贵于此也。虽有珍宝璧马，无以匹之，美言之则可以夺众货之贾，故曰，美言可以市也，尊行之则千里之外应之，故曰，可以加于人也。人之不善，何弃之有？不善当保道以免放。故立天子，置三公，言以尊行道也。虽有拱璧以先驷马，不如坐进此道。此道，上之所云也。言，故立天子，置三公，尊其位，重其人，所以为道也。物无有贵于此者，故虽有拱抱宝璧以先，驷马而进之，不如坐而进此道也。古之所以贵此道者何？不曰：以求得，有罪以免耶？故为天下贵。以求则得求，以免则得免，无所而不施，故为天下贵也。
英文 · James Legge
(Practising the Dao) Dao has of all things the most honoured place. No treasures give good men so rich a grace; Bad men it guards, and doth their ill efface. (Its) admirable words can purchase honour; (its) admirable deeds can raise their performer above others. Even men who are not good are not abandoned by it. Therefore when the sovereign occupies his place as the Son of Heaven, and he has appointed his three ducal ministers, though (a prince) were to send in a round symbol-of-rank large enough to fill both the hands, and that as the precursor of the team of horses (in the court-yard), such an offering would not be equal to (a lesson of) this Dao, which one might present on his knees. Why was it that the ancients prized this Dao so much? Was it not because it could be got by seeking for it, and the guilty could escape (from the stain of their guilt) by it? This is the reason why all under heaven consider it the most valuable thing.