第14章 · 原文
现代白话译文
看它看不见，叫作夷；听它听不到，叫作希；摸它摸不着，叫作微。这三者的形状无从追究，它们原本就浑然而为一。它的上面既不显得明亮，它的下面也不显得昏暗。它绵延不绝而又不可名状，又总要回到看不见物体的虚无状态。这是没有形状的形状，没有物体的形象，叫作惚恍。迎着它，看不见它的头；跟着它，看不见它的尾。运用自古以来的道，来驾驭现在的具体事物。能了解远古开始的事物，这就叫作道的规律。
多版本对照
王弼注（魏晋）
无状无象．无声无响．故能无所不通．无所不往．不得而知．更以我耳目体不知为名．故不可致诘．混而为一也．欲言无邪．而物由以成．欲言有邪．而不见其形．故曰无状之状无物之象也．不可得而定也．有有其事．无形无名者．万物之宗也．虽今古不同．时移俗易．故莫不由乎此以成其治者也．故可执古之道以御今之有．上古虽远．其道存焉．故虽在今可以知古始也.
河上公注（汉）
夷者无色，希者无声，微者无形。此三者，不可致诘，故混而为一。一者，道也。言道混同无别，故混而为一。
王夫之《老子衍》（明末清初）
物有間；人不知其間；故合之，背之，而物皆為患。道無間，人強分其間；故執之，別之，而道僅為名。以無間乘有間，終日遊，而患與名去。患與名去，斯「無物」矣。夫有物者，或輕，或重；或光，或塵；或作，或止；是謂無紀。一名為陰，一名為陽，而沖氣死。一名為仁，一名為義，而太和死。道也者，生於未陰未陽，而死於仁義者與！故離朱不能察黑白之交，師曠不能審宮商之會，慶忌不能攫空塵之隙，神禹不能皙天地之分。非至常者，何足以與於斯！
憨山德清《老子道德经解》（明）
此言大道體虛，超乎聲色名相思議之表，聖人執此以御世也。夷，無色也。故視之不可見。希，無聲也。故聽之不可聞。微，無相也。故搏之不可得。搏，取之也。此三者，雖有此名，其實不可致詰。致詰，猶言思議。由其道體混融而不可分，故為一。其上日月不足以增其明，故不皦。皦，明也，其下幽暗不能以昏其禮，故不昧。繩繩，猶綿綿不絕之意。謂道體雖綿綿不絕，其實不可名言。畢竟至虛，雖生而不有，故復歸於無物。杳冥之內，而至精存焉，故曰無狀之狀。恍惚之中，而似有物焉，故曰無象之象，是謂惚恍。此正楞嚴所謂罔象虛無，微細精想耳。由其此體，前觀無始，故迎之不見其首。後觀無終，故隨之不見其後。此乃古始之道也。上皆歷言大道之妙，下言得道之人。然聖人所以為聖人者，蓋執此妙道以御世。故曰執古之道，以御今之有。吾人有能知此古始之道者，即是道統所係也。故曰能知古始，是謂道紀。紀，綱紀。謂統緒也。
马王堆帛书异文（西汉）
视之不见名之曰夷，听之不闻名之曰希，搏之不得名曰微。此三者不可致诘，故混而为一。
郭店楚简异文（战国）
此章缺
English Translations / 英文译本
We look but do not see it, and name it 'the invisible'. We listen but do not hear it, and name it 'the inaudible'. We touch but do not find it, and name it 'the intangible'. These three cannot be further probed, and hence merge into one. Above, it is not bright; below, it is not dark. An unending thread, it cannot be named. It returns to nothingness. This is the form of the formless, the image of the imageless. This is the elusive. Meet it and you do not see its beginning; follow it and you do not see its end. Hold fast to the way of antiquity in order to control the things of the present. Ability to know the beginnings of antiquity is called the thread of the way.
Look at it, you cannot see it - it is called invisible. Listen to it, you cannot hear it - it is called inaudible. Grasp at it, you cannot get it - it is called subtle. These three cannot be further investigated, and hence merge into one. Above it is not bright, below it is not dark. An unending thread, it cannot be named. It returns to nothingness. This is called the shape of the shapeless, the image of the imageless. This is called vague and elusive. Meet it and you will not see its beginning. Follow it and you will not see its end. Hold fast to the way of antiquity in order to control the things of the present. The ability to know the beginnings of antiquity is called the thread of the way.
Look, it cannot be seen - it is invisible. Listen, it cannot be heard - it is inaudible. Reach, it cannot be touched - it is intangible. These three cannot be investigated, they merge into one. Above is not bright, below is not dark. An unending thread beyond naming, it returns to nothingness. This is the formless form, the image of nothing. This is the elusive. Meet it, it has no beginning. Follow it, it has no end. Hold to the ancient way, to rule the present. Knowing the ancient beginning is the way's thread.