第22章 · 原文
现代白话译文
委曲反而能保全，弯曲反而能伸直，低洼反而能充盈，破旧反而能更新，少取反而能多得，贪多反而能迷惑。所以，圣人坚守这一原则作为天下的范式。不自我表现，反而能显明；不自以为是，反而能彰显；不自我夸耀，反而能有功；不自我骄傲，反而能长久。正因为不与人争，所以天下没有人能和他争。古人所说的委曲能够保全等话，怎么会是空话呢？它确实能够保全并归向大道。
多版本对照
王弼注（魏晋）
不自见则其明全也．不自是则其是彰也．不自伐则其功有也．不自矜则其徳长也．自然之道亦犹树也．转多转远其根．转少转徳其本．多则远其眞故曰惑也．少则得其本故曰得也．一少之极也．式犹则之也.
河上公注（汉）
曲则全者，曲己从众，不自专则全也。枉则直者，屈己申人，则自直也。
王夫之《老子衍》（明末清初）
事物之教，有來有往。迎其來，不如要其往；追其往，不如俟其來。而以心日察察於往來者，則非先時，而即後時。先既失後，後又失先，勞勞而愈不得；故小智日見其餘，大智日見其不足。大道在中，如捕亡子而喪家珍，瞀然介馬以馳，終日而不遇，則多之為惑久矣。一曰沖，沖曰常。守常，用沖，養曲為全，明於往來之大數也。
憨山德清《老子道德经解》（明）
此承前章言聖人所以道全德備眾美皆具者，蓋由虛心體道，與物無競，故眾德交歸也。曲，委曲。即曲成萬物而不遺之意。謂聖人委曲以御世，無一事不盡其誠，無一人不得其所。譬如陽春發育萬物，雖草芥毫芒，春氣無不充足。若纖毫不到，則春氣不全。聖人之於人，無所不至。苟不曲盡其誠，則其德不全矣。故曰曲則全。枉則直者，屈己從人曰枉。直，伸也。謂聖人道高德盛，則大有徑庭，不近人情。若不屈己從人，俯循萬物，混世同波，則人不信。人不信，則道不伸。由人屈而道伸。故曰枉則直。窪則盈者，眾水所聚，地之最下者，曰窪。譬如江海最為窪下，故萬派皆歸。而聖人之心至虛至下，故眾德交歸，德無不備。故曰窪則盈。敝則新者，衣之汙損日敝。不敝，則不浣濯，不見其新。以其敝乃新耳。以譬聖人忘形去智，日損其知見，遠其物欲，洗心退藏於密。欲不敝，則道不新。故曰敝則新。聖人忘知絕學，專心於一，故於道有得。故曰少則得。世人多知多見，於道轉失。故曰多則惑。是以聖人因愍世人以多方喪道，故抱一為天下學道之式。式，法也。智巧衒耀於外曰見。自見者不明，故不自見乃為明耳。執己為必當曰是，自是者不彰，故不自是乃彰耳。彰者，盛德顯於外也。誇功，曰伐。自伐者無功，故不自伐乃有功耳。司馬遷嘗謂韓信，假令學道謙讓，不伐己功，不矜其能。則庶幾於漢家勳，可比周召太公之徒矣。意蓋出此。恃己之能曰矜。長，才能也。自矜者不長，不自矜者乃長耳。此上四不字，皆不爭之德也。惟聖人有之。故曰夫惟不爭，故天下莫能與之爭者。由其聖人委曲如此，故萬德交歸，眾美備具。故引古語以證之曰，古之所謂曲則全者，豈虛言哉，誠全而歸之。
马王堆帛书异文（西汉）
曲则全，枉则正。洼则盈，敝则新。少则得，多则惑。
郭店楚简异文（战国）
曲则全，枉则定。洼则盈，敝则新。少则得，多则惑。
English Translations / 英文译本
The crooked becomes straight, the bent becomes upright. The empty becomes full, the worn becomes new. The little becomes much, the much becomes little. To obtain, one must give. Therefore the sage holds on to the one and becomes the model for the world. He does not display himself, and so is enlightened. He does not justify himself, and so is distinguished. He does not boast, and so has merit. He does not brag, and so endures. It is because he does not contend that no one in the world is able to contend with him. The saying 'the crooked becomes straight' is not empty words. It truly leads to attainment and returns to the self.
The crooked will become straight, the bent will become upright. The empty will become full, the worn will become new. The little will become much, the much will become little. To obtain, one must give. Therefore the sage holds on to the one and becomes the model for the world. He does not display himself, and so is enlightened. He does not justify himself, and so is distinguished. He does not boast, and so has merit. He does not brag, and so endures. It is because he does not contend that no one in the world is able to contend with him. The saying 'the crooked will become straight' is not empty words. It truly leads to attainment and returns to the self.
Bent then whole. Crooked then straight. Hollow then full. Worn then new. Few then many. Many then confused. Therefore the sage embraces the one and becomes the model of the world. Not showing himself, he is enlightened. Not justifying himself, he is distinguished. Not boasting, he has merit. Not bragging, he endures. Because he does not contend, no one in the world can contend with him. The saying 'bent then whole' - are these empty words? Truly, he attains and returns.