第81章 · 原文
现代白话译文
真实的话不华美，华美的话不真实。善良的人不巧辩，巧辩的人不善良。真正了解的人不广博，广博的人不一定真正了解。圣人没有积蓄，尽力帮助别人，自己反而更充足；把一切给予别人，自己反而更丰富。天的道，有利于万物而不伤害万物；圣人的道，做什么都不和别人争。
多版本对照
王弼注（魏晋）
实在质也．本在朴也．极在一也．无私而有．唯善是与．任物而已．物所尊也．物所归也．动常生成之也．顺天之利不相伤也.
河上公注（汉）
信言不美者，信言者，真实之言也。不美者，不华美也。美言不信者，华美之言，不信实也。
王夫之《老子衍》（明末清初）
以所「有」「為人」，則人「有」而己損；以「多」「與人」，則人「多」而己貧。孰能知無所為者之「為人」邪？無所與者之「與人」邪？道散於天下，天下廣矣，故「不積」。道積於已，於是而有「美」，有「辯」，有「博」。既「美」且「辯」，益之以「博」，未有「不爭」者也。乃其於道之涯際，如勺水之於大海，揮之、飲之，而已窮。俯首而「為」，惡知昂首而「爭」？不問其「利」「利」自成，惡與「害」逢？能不以有涯測無涯者，亦無涯矣。「休之以天鈞」，奚「為」、奚「與」，又奚窮哉？
憨山德清《老子道德经解》（明）
此結通篇無為之益，施於治道，可復太古之化也。什伯之器，並十曰什，兼百曰伯。器，材也。老子自謂以我無為之治，試於小國。縱使有兼十夫百夫之材者，亦無所用之，以民淳而無事故也。若國多事，煩擾於民。或窮兵致亂，重賦致饑。民不安其居，則輕死而去之。今一切無之，故使民重死，而不遠徙。舟輿，水陸之具。不遠徙，故雖有舟車無所用。不尚爭，故雖有甲兵無所陳。陳，列也。不用智，故可使結繩而用之如太古矣。民各自足其足，絕無外慕之心。不事口體，故以尋常衣食為甘美，以平居里俗為安樂，曰與鄰國雞狗相聞。至近之地，民至老死而不相往來。如此，則淳樸之至，乃太古之化也。老子所言，疾當時之弊，皆有為用智剛強，好爭尚利，自私奉己，而不恤於民。故國亂民貧，而愈難治。所以治推上古，道合無為，全篇所論，不出乎此，蓋立言之本旨也。故終篇以此，請試而行之，可以頓見太古鴻荒之化。言取效之速如此也。所謂一日克己復禮，天下歸仁，深有味乎此言也。老氏之學，豈矯世絕俗之謂哉。
马王堆帛书异文（西汉）
信言不美，美言不信。善者不辩，辩者不善。知者不博，博者不知。
郭店楚简异文（战国）
此章缺
English Translations / 英文译本
True words are not beautiful, beautiful words are not true. Good speakers are not eloquent, eloquent speakers are not good. Knowledgeable people are not broad, broad people are not knowledgeable. Sages do not accumulate. The more they do for others, the more they have. The more they give to others, the more they gain. The way of heaven benefits and does not harm. The way of the sage acts without contending.
True words are not beautiful, beautiful words are not true. Good speakers are not eloquent, eloquent speakers are not good. Knowledgeable people are not broad, broad people are not knowledgeable. Sages do not accumulate. The more they do for others, the more they have. The more they give to others, the more they gain. The way of heaven benefits and does not harm. The way of the sage acts without contending.
True words are not beautiful, beautiful words are not true. Good speakers are not eloquent, eloquent speakers are not good. Knowledgeable people are not broad, broad people are not knowledgeable. Sages do not accumulate. The more they do for others, the more they have. The more they give to others, the more they gain. The way of heaven benefits and does not harm. The way of the sage acts without contending.