第11章 · 原文
现代白话译文
三十根辐条汇集到一个毂中，正是因为有了毂中的空虚，车才能发挥作用。揉和陶土做成器具，正是因为有了器具中间的空虚，器具才能发挥作用。开凿门窗建造房屋，正是因为有了门窗四壁中间的空虚，房屋才能发挥作用。所以，有给人以便利，无发挥了它的作用。
多版本对照
王弼注（魏晋）
毂所以能统三十辐者无也．以其无能受物之故．故能以寡统众也．木埴壁所以成三者．而皆以无为用也．言无者有之所以为利．皆頼无以为用也。
河上公注（汉）
无用之用，道之要也。三十辐共一毂者，古者车三十辐，法一月三十日，共一毂者，以象天道也。当其无有空处，车乃能用。器亦然，室亦然。
王夫之《老子衍》（明末清初）
造有者，求其有也。孰知夫求其有者，所以保其無也？經營以有，而但為其無，豈樂無哉？無者，用之藏也。物立於我前，固非我之所得執矣。象數立於道前，而道不居之以自礙矣。陰凝陽融以為人，而沖氣俱其間；不倚於火，不倚於符者遇之。仁義剛柔以為教，而大樸俱其間；不倚於性，不倚於情者遇之。勝負得失以為變，而事會俱其間；不倚於治，不倚於亂者遇之。故避其堅，攻其瑕，去其名，就其實，俟之俄頃，而萬機合於一。
憨山德清《老子道德经解》（明）
此言向世人但知有用之用，而不知無用之用也。意謂人人皆知車轂有用，而不知用在轂中一竅。人人皆知器之有用，而不知用在器中之虛。人人皆知室之有用，而不知用在室中之空。以此為譬，譬如天地有形也，人皆知天地有用，而不知用在虛無大道。亦似人之有形，而人皆知人有用，而不知用在虛靈無相之心。是知有雖有用，而實用在無也。然無不能自用，須賴有以濟之。故曰有之以為利，無之以為用。利，猶濟也。老氏之學，要即有以觀無。若即有以觀無，則雖有而不有。是謂道妙。此其宗也。
马王堆帛书异文（西汉）
三十辐共一毂，当其无，有车之用。然埴以为器，当其无，有器之用。凿户牖，当其无，有室之用。
郭店楚简异文（战国）
此章缺
English Translations / 英文译本
Thirty spokes share one hub. Adapt the nothing therein to the purpose in hand, and you will have the use of the cart. Knead clay in order to make a vessel. Adapt the nothing therein to the purpose in hand, and you will have the use of the vessel. Cut out doors and windows in order to make a room. Adapt the nothing therein to the purpose in hand, and you will have the use of the room. Thus what we gain is Something, yet it is by virtue of Nothing that this can be put to use.
Thirty spokes share one hub. Adapt the nothing therein to the purpose in hand, and you will have the use of the cart. Knead clay in order to make a vessel. Adapt the nothing therein to the purpose in hand, and you will have the use of the vessel. Cut out doors and windows in order to make a room. Adapt the nothing therein to the purpose in hand, and you will have the use of the room. Thus what we gain is Something, yet it is by virtue of Nothing that this can be put to use.
Thirty spokes share the wheel's hub. It is the center hole that makes it useful. Shape clay into a vessel. It is the emptiness inside that makes it useful. Cut doors and windows for a room. It is the openings that make it useful. Therefore profit comes from what is there, usefulness from what is not.