第28章 · 原文
现代白话译文
知道什么是雄强，却安守雌柔，做天下的溪涧。做天下的溪涧，永恒的德性就不会离散，回复到婴儿的状态。知道什么是光明，却安守暗昧，做天下的范式。做天下的范式，永恒的德性就不会有差错，回复到不可穷极的真理。知道什么是荣耀，却安守屈辱，做天下的川谷。做天下的川谷，永恒的德性才能够充足，回复到朴的状态。朴一旦分散就成为器具，圣人使用它，就成为掌管器具的官长，所以完善的政治制度是不割裂的。
多版本对照
王弼注（魏晋）
雄先之属．雌后之属也．智为天下之先者必后也．是以圣人后其身而身先也．溪不求物．而物自归之．婴儿不用智．而合自然之智．式模则也．忒差也．不可穷也．此三者．言常反终．后乃徳全其所处也．下章云反者道之动也．功不可取．常处其母也．朴眞也．眞散则百行出．殊类生．若器也．圣人因其分散．故为之立官长．以善为师．不善为资．移风易俗．复使归于一也．大制者．以天下之心为心．故无割也.
河上公注（汉）
知其雄守其雌者，雄，阳也；雌，阴也。守雌者，抱一守柔，不为天下先也。
王夫之《老子衍》（明末清初）
或雌或雌，或白或黑，或榮或辱，各有對待，不能相通，則我道蓋幾於窮，而我之有知有守亦不一矣。知者歸清，守者歸濁，兩術剖分，各歸其肖，游環中者可知已。然致意於知矣，而收功於守，則何也？賓清而主濁，以物極之必反，反者之可長主也。故嬰兒可壯，壯不可稚；無極可有，有不可無；樸可琢，琢不可樸。然聖人非於可不可斤斤以辨之。環中以游，如霖雨之灌蟻封，如原燎之灼積莽，無首無尾，至實至虛，制定而清濁各歸其墟，赫然大制而已矣。雖然，不得已而求其用，則雌也，黑也，辱也，執其權以老天下之器也。
憨山德清《老子道德经解》（明）
此承上章行道之妙，而言聖人不以知道為難，而以守道為要妙也。古德云，學道，悟之為難。既悟，守之為難。然行道之妙，實出於守道之要耳。蓋此中知字，即悟也。知雄守雌者，物無與敵謂之雄，柔伏處下謂之雌。谿，乃窊下之地。眾水所歸之處也。嬰兒者，柔和之至也。前云專氣致柔，能如嬰兒乎。然氣雖勝物，物有以敵之。而道超萬物，物無與敵者。故謂之雄。聖人氣與道合，心超物表，無物與敵，而能順物委蛇，與時俱化，不與物競，故曰知其雄，守其雌。由守其雌，故眾德交歸，如水之就下，故為天下谿也。由乎處下如谿，故但受而不拒，應而不藏，流潤而不竭，故曰常德不離。以入物而物不知，如嬰兒終日號而嗌不嗄，和之至也。以能勝物而不傷，故曰復歸於嬰兒。知白守黑者。白，謂昭然明白。智無不知之意。黑，昏悶無知之貌。式，謂法則。忒，差謬也。謂聖人智包天地，明並日月，而不自用其知。所謂明白四達，能無知乎。故曰知其白，守其黑。由其真知而不用其知，故無強知之過謬，故可為天下式。然強知則有謬，謬則有所不知。既有所不知，則知不極矣。今知既無謬，則知無不極，故曰復歸於無極。知榮守辱者。榮，乃光榮貴高。辱，乃汙辱賤下。谷，乃虛而能應者也。樸，謂樸素。乃木之未雕斲也。謂聖人自知道光一世，德貴人臣，而不自有其德。乃以汙辱賤下，蒙恥含垢以守之。所謂光而不耀，仁常而不居者，虛之至也。故為天下谷。由其虛，故常德乃足。德自足於中，則不緣飾於外，故復歸於樸素也。以虛而能應物，故樸散則為器。聖人以此應運出世，則可以官天地府萬物。故能範圍天地而不過。曲成萬物而不遺。化行於世而無棄人棄物。故曰大制不割。割，截斷也。不割者，不分彼此界限之意。
马王堆帛书异文（西汉）
知其雄，守其雌，为天下溪。知其白，守其辱，为天下谷。
郭店楚简异文（战国）
此章缺
English Translations / 英文译本
He who knows the male but keeps to the female becomes the ravine of the world. Being the ravine of the world, he does not depart from constant virtue, but returns to infancy. He who knows the white but keeps to the black becomes the model of the world. Being the model of the world, he does not depart from constant virtue, but returns to the limitless. He who knows glory but keeps to disgrace becomes the valley of the world. Being the valley of the world, he is filled with constant virtue, and returns to simplicity. When simplicity is broken up, it becomes vessels. The sage makes use of them and becomes the ruler. Therefore the great system is not cut.
He who knows the male but keeps to the female becomes the ravine of the world. Being the ravine of the world, he does not depart from constant virtue, but returns to infancy. He who knows the white but keeps to the black becomes the model of the world. Being the model of the world, he does not depart from constant virtue, but returns to the limitless. He who knows glory but keeps to disgrace becomes the valley of the world. Being the valley of the world, he is filled with constant virtue, and returns to simplicity. When simplicity is divided, it becomes vessels. The sage makes use of them and becomes the ruler. Therefore the great system is not cut.
Know the male, keep the female - be the ravine of the world. Being the ravine of the world, constant virtue does not leave, return to infancy. Know the white, keep the black - be the model of the world. Being the model of the world, constant virtue does not err, return to the limitless. Know the glory, keep the disgrace - be the valley of the world. Being the valley of the world, constant virtue is sufficient, return to simplicity. Simplicity breaks into vessels, the sage uses them and becomes the leader. Therefore the great carving does not cut.