第54章 · 原文
现代白话译文
善于建树的人不可拔除，善于抱持的人不会脱落，子孙后代会以此来祭祀不绝。用道修身，他的德就真实；用道治家，他的德就有余；用道治乡，他的德就久长；用道治国，他的德就丰盛；用道治天下，他的德就普及。所以用自身的修身之道来观察别身，以自家的治家之道来观察别家，以自乡的治乡之道来观察别乡，以自国的治国之道来观察别国，以平天下的之道来观察天下。我凭什么知道天下的情况呢？就是用这个方法。
多版本对照
王弼注（魏晋）
固其根而后营其末．故不拔也．不贪于多．齐其所能．故不脱也．子孙传此道．以祭祀则不辍也．以身及人也．修之身则眞．修之家则有余．修之不废．所施转大．彼皆然也．以天下百姓心观天下之心也．天下之道．逆顺吉凶．亦皆如人之道也．此上之所云也．言吾何以得知天下乎．察己以知之．不求于外也．所谓不出戸以知天下者也.
河上公注（汉）
善建者不拔者，善于建道者，不可拔除也。善抱者不脱者，善于守道者，不可脱落也。
王夫之《老子衍》（明末清初）
以己與天下國家立，則分而為朋矣。彼朋「建」，則此朋「拔」；彼朋「抱」，則此朋「脫」。然而有道者，豈能強齊而並施之哉？事各有彤，情各有狀，因而觀之，可以無爭矣。而流動於情狀之中，因其無可因，以使之自因者，所謂「知之以此」也。方且無「身」，而身何「觀」？方且無鄉、邦、天下，而我又何「觀」？方且無之，故方且有之。析於所自然，而摶於所不得已，則匪特「朋亡」，而己物相見之真，液化脈函，固結以壽於無窮，是謂「死而不亡」。
憨山德清《老子道德经解》（明）
此承上言惟無知，是以不我知。恐人錯認無知，故重指出無知之地也。然世人之知，乃敵物分別之知，有所知也。聖人之知，乃離物絕待，照體獨立之知，無所知也。故聖人之無知，非斷滅無知，乃無世人之所知耳。無所知，乃世人所不知也。世人所不知，乃聖人之獨知。人能知其所不知之地，則為上矣。故曰知不知上。若夫臆度妄見，本所不知，而強自以為知。或錯認無知為斷滅，同於木石之無知。此二者皆非真知，適足為知之病耳。故曰不知知病。若苟知此二者為知之病，則知見頓亡，可造無知之地，而無強妄妄之病矣。故曰夫惟病病，是以不病。聖人但無強妄之知，故稱無知，非是絕然斷滅無知也。故曰聖人不病。此段工夫，更無別樣玄妙。唯病其妄知強知是病而不用。是以不墮知病之中，而名無知。此無知，乃真知。苦如此真知，則終日知而無所知。斯實聖人自知之明，常人豈易知哉。此所以易知易行，而世人不能知不能行也。古云，知之一字，眾妙之門。知之一字，眾禍之門。然聖人無知之地，必假知以入。若悟無知，則妄知自泯。此乃知之一字，眾妙之門也。若執有知以求無知，則反增知障，此乃眾禍之門。正是此中知之病也。知不知上，最初知字，正是入道之要。永嘉云，所謂知者，但知而已，此句最易而難明。學者日用工夫，當從此入。
马王堆帛书异文（西汉）
善建者不拔，善抱者不脱，子孙以其祭祀不辍。
郭店楚简异文（战国）
此章缺
English Translations / 英文译本
What is well planted cannot be uprooted. What is well held cannot slip away. The descendants will sacrifice to it endlessly. Cultivate in oneself, and virtue is real. Cultivate in the family, and virtue is abundant. Cultivate in the village, and virtue is lasting. Cultivate in the state, and virtue is prosperous. Cultivate in the world, and virtue is universal. Therefore observe oneself through others, observe the family through the family, observe the village through the village, observe the state through the state, observe the world through the world. How do I know the world is like this? Through this.
What is well planted cannot be uprooted. What is well held cannot slip away. The descendants will sacrifice to it endlessly. Cultivate in oneself, and virtue is real. Cultivate in the family, and virtue is abundant. Cultivate in the village, and virtue is lasting. Cultivate in the state, and virtue is prosperous. Cultivate in the world, and virtue is universal. Therefore observe oneself through others, observe the family through the family, observe the village through the village, observe the state through the state, observe the world through the world. How do I know the world is like this? Through this.
What is well planted cannot be uprooted. What is well held cannot slip away. The descendants will sacrifice to it endlessly. Cultivate in oneself, and virtue is real. Cultivate in the family, and virtue is abundant. Cultivate in the village, and virtue is lasting. Cultivate in the state, and virtue is prosperous. Cultivate in the world, and virtue is universal. Therefore observe oneself through others, observe the family through the family, observe the village through the village, observe the state through the state, observe the world through the world. How do I know the world is like this? Through this.