第32章 · 原文
现代白话译文
道永远是没有名称的。朴虽然微小，天下没有谁能使它服从。侯王如果能守住它，万物将会自然地服从他。天地之间阴阳之气相合，就降下甘露，百姓没有谁命令它，它自然均匀。管理万物开始有了名称，名称既然有了，就要知道适可而止，知道适可而止就可以没有危险。比如道存在于天下，就像江河溪流归于大海一样。
多版本对照
王弼注（魏晋）
道无形不形．常不可名．以无名为常．故曰道常无名也．朴之为物．以无为心也．亦无名．故将得道．莫若守朴．夫智者可以能臣也．勇者可以武使也．巧者可以事役也．力者可以重任也．朴之为物．愦然不偏．近于无有．故曰莫能臣也．抱朴无为．不以物累其眞．不以欲害其神．则物自宾而道自得也．言天地相合．则甘露不求而自降．我守其眞性无为．则民不令而自均也．始制谓朴散始为官长之时也．始制官长．不可不立名分以定尊卑．故始制有名也．过此以往．将争锥刀之末．故曰名亦既有夫亦将知止也．遂任名以号物．则失治之母也．故知止所以不始也．川谷之与江与海．非江海召之．不召不求而自归者也．行道于天下者．不令而自均．不求而自得．故曰犹川谷之与江海也.
河上公注（汉）
道常无名者，道无形无名，不可得见也。朴虽小者，道至微，不可见也。
王夫之《老子衍》（明末清初）
因於大始者無名，止於己然者有名。然既有名而能止之，則前名成而後名猶不立，過此以往，仍可為大始。天地，質也；甘露，沖也；升於地而地不居功，降自天而天不終有，是既止以後之自然，且莫令而自均，後天之衝，合於先天，況夫未始有夫有止者乎？
憨山德清《老子道德经解》（明）
此承上章不以兵強天下，因言人主當守道無為，則萬物賓而四海服，天地合而人民和，自然利濟無窮也。常者，終古不變之義。凡有名者，必遷變。道之所以不變者，以其無名也。故曰道常無名。樸，乃無名之譬。木之未制成器者，謂之樸。若制而成器，則有名矣。小，猶眇小。謂不足視也。且如合抱之材，智者所不顧。若取徑寸以為冠，則愚者亦尊焉。是以名為大，而以無名為小。甚言世人貴名，概以樸為不足視。故以道曰樸曰小也。然道雖樸小，而為天地萬物之本。即愚夫愚婦，而亦知所尊。故曰天下不敢臣。但侯王不能守耳。藉使侯王若能守，則萬物自然賓服矣，奚假兵力哉。然兵者凶器，未必賓服一國。且上干和氣，必有凶年。若以道服之，不但萬物來賓。抑且和氣致祥，天地相合以降甘露。兵來未必盡和民人，若以道宥之，則民莫之令而自然均調，各遂其生。無名之樸，利濟如此，惜乎侯王不能守之善用耳。若散樸為器，始制則有名矣。始，猶方纔也。謂樸本無名，方纔制作，則有名生焉。且從無名而有名。既有名，而名又有名，將不知其所止矣。莊子所謂從有適有，巧歷不能得，故曰名亦既有。而殉名者愈流愈下，逐末忘本，不知其返矣。故老子戒之曰，夫名者，不可馳騖而不返。亦將知止而自足。苟不知止足，則危殆而不安。知止所以不殆也。由是而知道在天下，為萬物之宗，流潤無窮，猶川谷之於江海也。然江海所以流潤於川谷，川谷無不歸宗於江海。以譬道散於萬物，萬物莫不賓服於大道。此自然之勢也。意明侯王若能守，其效神速於此。
马王堆帛书异文（西汉）
道恒无名朴。虽微，天地弗敢臣。
郭店楚简异文（战国）
此章缺
English Translations / 英文译本
The way is ever nameless. Though simplicity is small, the world cannot subordinate it. If rulers can hold to it, all things will naturally submit. Heaven and earth join together to send down sweet dew, which is not commanded by people but is naturally equal. When there is beginning and division, names arise. When names have arisen, one should also know where to stop. Knowing where to stop prevents danger. It is like the way in the world, like rivers and valleys flowing into the sea.
The way is ever nameless. Though simplicity is small, the world cannot subordinate it. If rulers can hold to it, all things will naturally submit. Heaven and earth join together to send down sweet dew, which is not commanded by people but is naturally equal. When there is beginning and division, names arise. When names have arisen, one should also know where to stop. Knowing where to stop prevents danger. It is like the way in the world, like rivers and valleys flowing into streams and then into the sea.
The way is ever nameless. Though simplicity is small, the world cannot subordinate it. If lords and kings can hold to it, the ten thousand things will submit themselves. Heaven and earth join together to send down sweet dew, not commanded by people but naturally equal. When there is division, names arise. When names have arisen, know also to stop. Knowing to stop prevents danger. It is like the way in the world, like the streams and valleys flowing into rivers and seas.