1.《道德经》共八十一章，包括《道经》三十七章，《德经》四十四章，是春秋时期老子所作， 所以也称作《老子》。

　　Tao Te Ching consists of eighty-one chapters-thirty-seven chapters of the Classic of the Dao, and forty-four of the Classic of the De. It was written by Laozi of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476), and so it is also called The Laozi.

　　2.“道”是老子哲学的最重要的概念，是其基础理论。老子认为，“道”是天地万物的本源，虽然是抽象的，但却是真实的存在。

　　“Dao”-the Way-is the most important concept in Laozi's philosophy. It is his basic theory. Laozi regarded the Way as the wellspring of everything in the universe, which, despite being abstract, was nevertheless a definite existence.

　　3.老子生活在春秋末期，社会已经无法回到“小国寡民”的状态，当时的社会也比较混乱，弱肉强食的现象经常发生。

　　Society in the closing years of the Spring and Autumn Period, when Laozi lived, had no way of returning to the situation of “small states with scanty populations.” In those days society was in turmoil, with frequent outbreaks of the strong “gobbling up” the weak.

　　4.道可道，非常道;名可名，非常名。无，名天地之始;有，名万物之母。故常无，欲以观其妙;常有，欲以观其徼(jiào)。此两者同出而异名，同谓之玄。玄之又玄，众妙之门。

　　【白话文】道，若是可以言辞表述出来的，就不是永恒的道了。名，若是可以言辞表达出来的，就不是永恒的名了。“无”这个词，是用来表述天地的本源的;“有”这个词，是用来表述万物的母体的。所以，可以常常从“无”中观照道的微妙，从“有”中观照道的存在的边际。“有”和“无”这两者都是出于“道”，而称谓不同，都是幽深微妙的。幽深而又幽深，是一切微妙的门径。

　　【英译】The way that can be explained is not the Unchanging Way. The name that can be named is not the Unchanging Name. The Void is the name of the beginning of the universe. Existence is the name of the mother of all things. Therefore, it is in the constant Void that we must look for the wonders of the universe, for in the constant Existence we can find only its limits. Both these aspects are different but can be called Profound. But they are more Profound than the Profound. And therein lies the Gateway to All Marvels.

　　5.天下皆知美之为美，斯恶已;皆知善之为善，斯不善已。故有无相生，难易相成，长短相形，高下相盈，音声相和，前后相随。

　　【白话文】(美和丑，善和不善，都是相对而言的)天下如果都知道美之所以为美，丑的概念就产生了;如果都知道善之所以为善，不善的概念也就产生了。所以有与无，难与易是互相形成的，长与短，高与下是相互显现的，口中所发的声响与耳中听到的声响是相互响应的，前与后也是相依相随的。

　　【英译】It is because beauty exists that everyone knows what ugliness is. It is because kindness exists that everyone knows what unkindness is. Existence and the void spring forth together. The difficult and the easy complement each other. The long and the short shape each other. The high and the low fulfill each other. Sounds and the reception of them together produce harmony. Before and after accompany each other.

　　6.天地不仁，以万物为刍狗;圣人不仁，以百姓为刍狗。天地之间，其犹橐籥(tuó yuè)乎!虚而不屈,，动而愈出。多言数穷，不如守中。

　　【白话文】天地无所偏爱，对万物就像对待刍狗那样，任其自生自灭;圣人治世也是无所偏爱的，对所有百姓也像对待刍狗那样，任其自然发展。整个天地之间，就像个大风箱那样，中间是虚空的，但却不可穷竭，一动便生生不息。政令繁多反而会加速败亡，不如像风箱那样保持虚静的状态，任其自然。

　　【英译】Heaven and Earth are not benevolent. They treat all things as if they were straw dogs. The sage is not benevolent. He treats all people as if they were straw dogs. Is not the space between Heaven and Earth like a bellows? Although it is empty, its supply never fails; work it, and it expands all the more. Words, no matter how many, are soon exhausted. It is better to maintain the center.

　　7.上善若水，水善利万物而不争。处众人之所恶，故几于道。居善地，心善渊，与善天，言善信，政善治，事善能，动善时。夫唯不争，故无尤。

　　【白话文】上善之人好像水的品性一样，水可以滋润万物而不与万物相争。它可以居于众人所厌恶的低下之地，所以接近于道的本质了。上善者居处于卑下，心境安静深沉，接近普爱无私的人，言辞诚信，施政治国简明有条理，做事善于发挥人的才能而用其所长，行动总是可以把握时机。正因为上善者像水那样的与世无争，所以不会有什么过失和怨尤。

　　【英译】The Supreme Good is like water. Water benefits all things, and does not contend with anything. It dwells in places shunned by most people. And so it resembles the Way. The Supreme Good makes its home in a low place. It makes its heart like a deep pool. It gives with benevolence. It speaks with sincerity. It governs so as to ensure harmony. It acts with capability and timeliness. Whatever does not contend incurs no censure.

　　8.五色令人目盲;五音令人耳聋;五味令人口爽;驰骋畋(tián)猎，令人心发狂;难得之货，令人行妨。是以圣人为腹不为目，故去彼取此。

　　【白话文】色彩缤纷使人眼花缭乱，减弱了人的视觉;繁杂的声音使人的听觉迟钝不灵敏;过多的美味使人的味觉产生差失;驰骋打猎，纵情游乐，使人心难以安静;难得稀有的物品，容易引起人的贪欲，妨害人的操行。圣人治理天下，只是为了温饱，而不求纵情声色的享乐，所以抛弃享乐而保持安静温饱的生活状态。

　　【英译】The five colors dim the eyes. The five notes dull the ears. The five flavors deaden the palate. Galloping and wildly hunting lead the passions astray. The scramble for rare things puts fetters on men’s actions. Therefore, the sage concentrates on the stomach, not the eye, discarding that in favor of this.

　　9.宠辱若惊，贵大患若身。何谓宠辱若惊?宠为下，得之若惊，失之若惊，是谓宠辱若惊。

　　【白话文】荣宠和受辱都令人惊慌。重视自己的生命犹如重视大的灾祸一样。什么叫荣宠和受辱都令人惊慌呢?因为得到荣宠(未必是好事)，甚至比受辱更为下等，得到时感到惊喜，失去时更是惊慌失措，所以这便叫作“宠辱若惊”。

　　【英译】Favor and disgrace are equally to be feared. Value calamity as inseparable from the life of the body. Why is it said that favor and disgrace are equally to be feared? Favor is bestowed on inferiors, who tremble in their quest for it, and having got it, equally tremble, fearing that they might lose it. Therefore, it is said that favor and disgrace are equally to be feared.

　　10.大道废，有仁义;慧智出，有大伪;六亲不和，有孝慈;国家昏乱，有忠臣。【白话文】大道废了以后，才有所谓仁义的出现;出现了智慧之后，虚伪巧诈也就随之产生了;六亲之间不和睦了，然后才有孝顺和慈爱这样的行为;国家到了昏乱的时候，才有所谓忠臣的出现。

　　【英译】It was when the Way declined that benevolence and righteousness arose. It was when knowledge and wisdom appeared that falsehood emerged in their company. It was disharmony rending the family that gave rise to filial piety and kindness. And it was turmoil in the state that gave birth to loyal ministers.

　　11.众人皆有余，而我独若遗。我愚人之心也哉!沌沌兮!俗人昭昭,我独昏昏;俗人察察，我独闷闷。澹兮其若海，飂(liú)兮若无止。众人皆有以，而我独顽且鄙。我独异于人，而贵食(sì)母。

　　【白话文】众人的东西多得用不完，我却独自像丢失了东西一样。我真是愚笨之人的心肠啊!混混沌沌啊!世俗之人都似乎清醒明白，唯独我昏昏沉沉;世俗之人似乎都很精明，唯独我似乎糊里糊涂。沉静啊，似深湛的大海;飘荡啊，似乎没有止境。众人都有其用，唯独我愚笨且鄙陋。我与世俗之人不同，而以体悟自然之道为贵。

　　【英译】The multitude has enough and to spare. I alone seem to have lost everything. Oh, my foolish heart! How foolish! All the common people are clear-headed. I alone am muddled. All the ordinary people are clear-sighted. I alone am dull. Far-flung I feel, like a vast ocean. Storm-tossed I feel, like some endless turbulence. All other men have their uses. I alone am stupid and lowly. I alone am different from others in that I value the Mother of Sustenance.

　　12.曲则全，枉则直，洼则盈，敝则新，少则得，多则惑。是以圣人执一，为天下式。不自见故明，不自是故彰，不自伐故有功，不自矜故长。夫唯不争，故天下莫能与之争。古之所谓“曲则全”者，岂虚言哉!诚全而归之。

　　【白话文】委曲反而能够求全，弯曲反而能够正直，低洼之处能够积满水，破旧的东西用完了反而能够产生新的，求的少反能多得，贪的多反而得到少而迷惑。所以圣人执守自然无为之道，以此作为天下的范式。不自我显露的反而能够显明，不自以为是的反而能够彰显，不自我炫耀的反而能够有功用，不自负的反而能够长久。正因为守道者与世无争，所以天下反而没有能够与他相争的。古代所说的“曲则全”的话，怎能是一句空话呢?按照这个行事, 确实可以保全而归于大道。

　　【英译】To remain whole, be twisted. To remain straight, be bent. To remain full, be low. To remain new, be worn out. Those who have little may get more. Those who have much face perplexity. Therefore, the sage embraces the One as a touchstone for all things. He does not show himself, but is distinct. He is not self-satisfied, but is celebrated. He succeeds in all his ventures without being aggressive. He is not vain, and so endures. It is because of his non-contention that nothing in the world can contend with him. So the ancient adage “To remain whole, be twisted” was not mere empty words, was it? For true wholeness can be achieved only by returning to it.

　　13.有物混成，先天地生。寂兮廖兮，独立不改，周行而不殆，可以为天下母。吾不知其名，字之曰“道”，强为之名曰“大”。大曰逝，逝曰远，远曰反。故道大，天大，地大，王亦大。域中有四大，而王居其一焉。人法地，地法天，天法道，道法自然。【白话文】有个浑然一体的东西，在天地还未形成之前就已经存在了。它无声无形，独立存在，从不改变，无所不在，生生不息，是天下万物的母体。我不知道它的名字，只能把它称为“道”，勉强地称述它为“大”。由于其大，它就不断地向前远行;由于不断地运行，他就越来越遥远;由于越来越遥远，他又会返回到它的本原。所以说，道大，天大，地大，君王也大。世间有四个大，君王处于其中之一。人取法地，地取法天，天取法道，道取法自然。

　　【英译】There was something formed in chaos that was born before Heaven and Earth. Silent it is, misty it is, it stands alone and never changes. Constantly circling, and never resting, it can be thought of as the Mother of All Under Heaven. I do not know its name, but if pressed I would call it the Way. If pressed, I would class it among things called the Great. Great implies passing on. Passing on implies distance. Distance implies return. Therefore, the Way is great. Heaven is great. Earth is great. The ruler is also great. There are four great things in the universe, and the ruler is one of them. Earth dictates the laws of Mankind. Heaven dictates the laws of Earth. The Way dictates the laws of Heaven. Nature dictates the laws of the Way.

　　14.夫兵者，不祥之器，物或恶之，故有道者不处。君子居则贵左，用兵则贵右。兵者，不祥之器，非君子之器，不得已而用之，恬淡为上，胜而不美。而美之者，是乐杀人。夫乐杀人者，则不可以得志于天下矣。吉事尚左，凶事尚右;偏将军居左，上将军居右。言以丧礼处之。杀人之众，以哀悲泣之，战胜，以丧礼处之。

　　【白话文】兵械是不吉祥的器物，人们都厌恶它，所以有道者不用它。君子平常居处以左为贵，用兵时则以右为贵。兵械是不吉祥之器，不是君子之器，在不得已的情况下使用它，胜利了也要淡然处之，并不以此为美。如果有人以此为美，那是以杀人为乐了。以杀人为乐者，是不会成功于天下的。吉利之事以左为尚，不吉之事以右为尚，打仗时偏将军在左边，上将军在右边。这是说以丧礼来对待用兵之事。用兵而杀了很多人，要以悲哀之心来对待，战胜了对手，要以丧葬之礼来处置。

　　【英译】Weapons are ill-omened implements detested above all things. Those who follow the Way shun them. In times of peace the gentleman exalts the left. But when he wields weapons he exalts the right. Weapons are inauspicious things. They are not used by the gentleman, unless he has no other choice. He prefers quiet and calm above all, and does not consider victory a fine thing. Those who exult in victory are those who delight in slaughter. Those who delight in slaughter will never attain their goal anywhere in the universe. In times of good fortune, the left is valued. In times of ill omen, the right is valued. The aide is placed on the left. The commander-in-chief is placed on the right. This is the same arrangement as in a funeral service. The heavier the casualties, the deeper should be the mourning. Even a victory should be celebrated with a funeral rite.

　　15.知人者智，自知者明。胜人者有力，自胜者强。知足者富，勤行者有志。不失其所者久，死而不亡者寿。

　　【白话文】能够了解别人的人是聪明的，但能够了解自己的人是明智的。战胜别人者有力量，而能战胜自己的人才是更加强大的。知道满足的人是富有的，能够勤勉而行者才是有志的。不失其根本的人能够长久，但身死而神不死的人才是真正的长寿。

　　【英译】To understand others is to be wise. To understand oneself is to be enlightened. He who overcomes others is strong. He who overcomes himself is mighty. He who is satisfied with what he has is rich. He who keeps forging ahead has true willpower. Longevity means staying in one’s allotted place. In fact, death is not the end of existence.

　　16.将欲歙之，必固张之;将欲弱之，必固强之;将欲废之，必固兴之;将欲夺之，必固与之;是谓微明。柔弱胜刚强。鱼不可脱于渊，国之利器不可以示人。

　　【白话文】将要闭合的，必然先张开：将要削弱的，必然先强盛：将要废弃的，必然先兴盛;将要夺去的，必然先给予;这是非常微妙而显明的道理。柔弱可以战胜刚强。就像鱼儿不能离开深潭一样，利国之器是不可以轻易地展示给人看到的。

　　【英译】What is to be shrunk must first be expanded. What is to be weakened must first be strengthened. What is to be abolished must first be set up. What is to be taken back must first be given. This is called “dimming one’s light”. Thus the soft and weak overcomes the hard and strong. The fish should be left in its pool. A state should keep its sharpest weapons hidden.

　　17.道常无为而无不为。侯王若能守之，万物将自化。化而欲作，吾将镇之以无名之朴。无名之朴，夫亦将无欲。不欲以静，天下将自定。

　　【白话文】道永远是无所作为而又无所不能为的。世间侯王如果能够守道，顺应自然，万物也就可以自我化育。若自我化育而产生贪欲，我将以无为自然的大道来使之镇定，因为有此自然无为的大道，也就可以不起贪欲。不起贪欲，便趋于安静，天下将会自然安定。

　　【英译】The Way never takes action itself, yet there is nothing it does not achieve. If rulers would adapt themselves to the Way, all things would be transformed without any action being taken. If such transformation became an object of desire, I would quell such desire with the Nameless Simplicity. Doing so involves no desire at all. Absence of desire brings tranquility, and thereby All Under Heaven are calmly settled in their places.