第21章 · 原文
现代白话译文
大德的形态，是跟随道而变化的。道这个东西，是恍恍惚惚的。那样的惚啊恍啊，其中有形象；那样的恍啊惚啊，其中有实物。它是那样的深远幽暗啊，其中有精神；这精神是非常真实的，其中有信验。从今天上溯到古代，它的名字永远不消失，根据它才能观察万物的初始。我怎么知道万物开始的情况呢？就是根据这个道。
多版本对照
王弼注（魏晋）
孔空也．惟以空为徳．然后乃能动作从道．恍惚无形不繋之叹．以无形始物．不繋成物．万物以始以成．而不知其所以然．故曰恍兮惚兮其中有物．惚兮恍兮其中有象也．窈冥深远之叹．深远不可得而见．然而万物由之．不可得见．以定其眞．故曰窈兮冥兮其中有精也．信信验也．物反窈冥．则眞精之极得．万物之性定．故曰其精甚眞其中有信也．至眞之极．不可得名．无名则是其名也．自古及今．无不由此而成．故曰自古及今其名不去也．众甫物之始也．以无名说．阅万物始也．此上之所云也．言吾何以知万物之始于无哉．以此知之也.
河上公注（汉）
孔德之容者，谓大德之人，容止可观也。惟道是从者，唯行是从道也。道之为物者，道之所为，恍恍惚惚，不可得见。
王夫之《老子衍》（明末清初）
兩者相耦而有「中」。「恍惚」無耦，無耦無「中」。而惡知介乎耦，則非左即右，而不得為「中」也？「中」者，入乎耦而含耦者也。雖有堅金，可鍛而液；雖有積土，可漂而夷；然則金土不能保其性矣。既有溫泉，亦有寒火；然則水火不能守其真矣。不銑而堅於金，不厚而敦於土，不暄而炎於火，不潤而寒於水者，誰耶？閱其變而不遷，知其然而不往；故真莫尚於無實，信莫大於不復，名莫永於彼此不易，而容莫美於萬一不殊。私天之機，棄道之似，夫乃可字之曰「孔德」。
憨山德清《老子道德经解》（明）
此章言道乃無形名之形名也。孔，猶盛也。謂道本無形，而有道之士，和氣集於中，英華發現於外，而為盛德之容。且此德容，皆從道體所發，即是道之形容也。故曰孔德之容，惟道是從。然此道體本自無形，又無一定之象可見。故曰道之為物，惟恍惟惚。恍惚，謂似有若無，不可定指之意。然且無象之中，似有物象存焉。故曰惚兮恍，其中有象。恍兮惚，其中有物。其體至深至幽，不可窺測。且此幽深窈冥之中，而有至精無妄之體存焉。故曰窈兮冥，其中有精。其精甚真，此正楞嚴所謂唯一精真。精色不沈，發現幽秘，此則名為識陰區宇也。學者應知。然此識體雖是無形，而於六根門頭，應用不失其時。故曰其中有信。此上皆無形之形。下言無名之名。謂世間眾美之名自外來者，皆是假名無實，故其名易去。惟此道體有實有名，故自古及今，其名不去，以閱眾甫也。閱，猶經歷。甫，美也。謂眾美皆具。是以聖人功流萬世而名不朽者，以其皆從至道體中流出故耳。其如世間王侯將相之名，皆從人欲中來，故其功亦朽，而名亦安在哉。唯有道者，不期於功而功自大，不期於名而名不朽。是知聖人內有大道之實，外有盛德之容，眾美皆具，惟自道中而發也。故曰吾何以知眾甫之然哉，以此。
马王堆帛书异文（西汉）
孔德之容，唯道是从。道之物，唯望唯惚。
郭店楚简异文（战国）
此章缺
English Translations / 英文译本
The appearance of great virtue follows alone from the way. The thing that is called the way is elusive and vague. Vague and elusive, there is in it the image. Elusive and vague, there is in it the substance. Deep and obscure, there is in it the essence. The essence is very real, and therein lies the truth. From ancient times to the present, its name has never been forgotten. It is through it that we see the beginning of all things. How do I know that the beginning of all things is so? Through this.
The appearance of great virtue follows alone from the way. The thing that is called the way is elusive and vague. Vague and elusive, there is in it form. Elusive and vague, there is in it substance. Deep and obscure, there is in it essence. The essence is very real, and therein lies the truth. From ancient times to the present, its name has never been forgotten. It is through it that we see the beginning of all things. How do I know that the beginning of all things is so? Through this.
Great virtue follows the way. The way as a thing is vague and elusive. Elusive and vague, there are images in it. Vague and elusive, there are things in it. Deep and obscure, there is essence in it. The essence is very real, and within it is trust. From ancient times to now, its name never leaves. Through it we see the beginning of all things. How do I know the beginning of all things? Through this.