一孔录The video for this chapter is still in production. For now this page gives the original text, the facsimile page, a working translation and the commentary; the full reading follows when the video is out.
昔之得一者：天得一以清，地得一以寧，神得一以靈，谷得一以盈，萬物得一以生，侯王得一以為天下貞。其致之。天無以清將恐裂，地無以寧將恐發，神無以靈將恐歇，谷無以盈將恐竭，萬物無以生將恐滅，侯王無以貴高將恐蹶。故貴以賤為本，高以下為基。是以侯王自謂孤、寡、不轂。此非以賤為本耶？非乎？故致數輿無輿。不欲琭琭如玉，珞珞如石。Of old, these attained the One: heaven attained the One and became clear; earth attained the One and became steady; the spirits attained the One and became potent; the valley attained the One and became full; the ten thousand things attained the One and came to life; lords and kings attained the One and became the standard of the world. It is the One that brought this about. Were heaven not clear, it might split; were earth not steady, it might quake; were the spirits not potent, they might fade; were the valley not full, it might run dry; were the ten thousand things not alive, they might perish; were lords and kings not honored and high, they might fall. So the noble has the humble as its root, and the high has the low as its base. That is why lords and kings call themselves the orphan, the widower, the unworthy. Is this not taking the humble as root? Is it not? So count the parts of a carriage and there is no carriage. Do not wish to glitter like jade; be plain like stone.
白Plain Chinese
自古以来得到“一”的：天得到一而清明，地得到一而安宁，神得到一而灵验，川谷得到一而充盈，万物得到一而生长，侯王得到一而成为天下的君长。它们都是由“一”达到的。天不能清明，恐怕要崩裂；地不能安宁，恐怕要倾覆；神不能灵验，恐怕要消歇；川谷不能充盈，恐怕要枯竭；万物不能生长，恐怕要灭绝；侯王不能保持尊贵，恐怕要倒台。所以贵以贱为根本，高以下为基础。因此侯王自称“孤”“寡”“不轂”。这不是以贱为根本吗？不是吗？所以一一去数车的各个部件，就没有车了。不愿像玉那样华美，宁愿像石头那样坚实。
Draft plain-Chinese rendering following Wang Bi; it will be checked when the chapter is taught.
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