第29章 · 原文
现代白话译文
想要治理天下却要用强制的办法，我看他是达不到目的的。天下是神圣的器物，是不可以有所作为的，是不可以强行控制的。有所作为就会失败，强行控制就会失去。所以万物有的前行，有的后随；有的呼气，有的吹气；有的强壮，有的瘦弱；有的安稳，有的坠落。因此，圣人要摒弃极端的、奢侈的、过度的措施。
多版本对照
王弼注（魏晋）
神无形无方也．器合成也．无形以合．故谓之神器也．万物以自然为性．故可因而不可为也．可通而不可执也．物有常性．而造为之．故必败也．物有往来．而执之．故必失也．凡此诸或．言物事逆顺反复．不施为执割也．圣人达自然之至性．畅万物之情．故因而不为．顺而不施．除其所以迷．去其所以惑．故心不乱而物性自得之也.
河上公注（汉）
将欲取天下者，欲为天下主也。而为之者，将欲有为于天下，吾见其不得已，必败也。
王夫之《老子衍》（明末清初）
天下在我，吾何取？我在天下，吾何為，天下如我，吾何欲？我如天下，吾何執？以我測天下，天下神。以天下遇我，天下不神。不神者使其神，而天下亂。神者使其不神，而我安。故窮天下以八數，而去我之三死，則炎火焚林而可待其寒，巨浸滔天而可視其暵。水火失其威，金石喪其守，況有情之必窮而有氣之必縮者哉？
憨山德清《老子道德经解》（明）
此言聖人道全德備，應運出世，為官為長。當任無為無事，而不可有為太過也。由上章云，樸散則為器。聖人用之則為官長。故老子因而誡之曰，將欲取天下者，當任自然，不可有心為之。而有心為之者，吾見其必不可得已。何也，且天下者大器，有神主之。豈可以人力私智取而奪之耶。故曰不可為也。而為之者，必反敗之。縱為而得之，亦不可執為己有。而執之者，必反失之。故如強秦力能併吞六國，混一天下，是為之也。且誓云一世以至萬世，是執之也。故不旋踵而敗，二世而亡，豈非為者敗之，執者失之之驗歟。然而所以敗之失之者，以其所處過甚，而奢泰之極也。凡物極則反，此亦自然之勢耳。故物或行或在。或呴或吹。或強或羸。或載或隳。是以聖人去甚，去奢，去泰。
马王堆帛书异文（西汉）
将欲取天下而为之，吾见其弗得已。夫天下，神器也，非可为者也。
郭店楚简异文（战国）
此章缺
English Translations / 英文译本
Those who wish to take the world and act upon it, I see that they cannot succeed. The world is a sacred vessel, it cannot be acted upon. Those who act upon it will destroy it. Those who hold it will lose it. Sometimes things lead, sometimes they follow. Sometimes they breathe gently, sometimes they blow hard. Sometimes they are strong, sometimes they are weak. Sometimes they develop, sometimes they collapse. Therefore the sage avoids excess, extravagance, and arrogance.
Those who wish to take the world and act upon it, I see that they cannot succeed. The world is a sacred vessel, it cannot be acted upon. Those who act upon it will destroy it. Those who hold it will lose it. Sometimes things lead, sometimes they follow. Sometimes they breathe gently, sometimes they blow hard. Sometimes they are strong, sometimes they are weak. Sometimes they develop, sometimes they collapse. Therefore the sage avoids excess, extravagance, and arrogance.
Those who want to take the world and act on it, I see that they cannot succeed. The world is a sacred vessel, cannot be acted on. Those who act on it destroy it. Those who hold it lose it. Sometimes things go forward, sometimes follow. Sometimes breathe gently, sometimes blow hard. Sometimes are strong, sometimes are weak. Sometimes develop, sometimes collapse. Therefore the sage rejects excess, extravagance, arrogance.