古之善為士者，微妙玄通，深不可識。夫唯不可識，故強為之容：豫焉，若冬涉川；猶兮，若畏四鄰；儼兮，其若客；渙兮，若冰之將釋；敦兮，其若樸；曠兮，其若谷；混兮，其若濁。孰能濁以靜之徐清？孰能安以久動之徐生？

保此道者不欲盈。夫唯不盈，故能襞而不成。

TheAdepts Who Perceived the Tao

The ancient adeptsof the Tao were subtly ingenious and profoundly intuitive.

Their minds were too deep to befathomed.

Because they areunfathomable, One can only describe them vaguely by their appearance. Hesitantlike one wading a stream in winter; Timid like one afraid of his neighbours onall sides; Cautious and courteous like a guest; self-effacing like ice that ismelting away; genuine, like a piece of uncarved wood; open and receptive like avalley; and dull like muddy water. freely mixing, like muddy water.

Whou can cut off the dailymaterial life

and gradually arrive at PureConsciouness in quietness?

Who can get charged and get self-cleanedin meditation,

and gradually bring disciplinesof the Pure Consciouness to daily life.

He who embraces this Tao doesnot want to fill himself to overflowing. It is precisely because there is nooverflowing that he is beyond wearing out and renewal.

 [譯文]

古時悟道之人，通曉有無轉化，深不可測。正因為他們深不可測，才勉強對他們加以描述：他們三思而行，如冬日行走在薄冰之上；他們小心謹慎，如防范四周可能發生的危機；他們端莊拘謹，像在別人家中做客一樣；他們融合可親，如同冰柱消融；他們敦厚淳樸，就像未經雕飾的原木；他們心胸開闊，就像空曠的山谷；他們抱撲守拙，如飽含泥沙的濁水。

他們能避開繁雜的物質生活，靜心回到本源道能去體驗其寂靜；能在本源中安然補充本質生命能量，又回到現實生活中遵道而行。能夠按上述的方式生活的人，不去追求圓滿十足。

恰恰是因為不去追求圓滿，他們才能夠抱樸守拙， 被褐懷玉。