古之善为士者，微妙玄通，深不可识。夫唯不可识，故强为之容：豫焉，若冬涉川；犹兮，若畏四邻；俨兮，其若客；涣兮，若冰之将释；敦兮，其若朴；旷兮，其若谷；混兮，其若浊。孰能浊以静之徐清？孰能安以久动之徐生？

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.

 [译文]

古时悟道之人，通晓有无转化，深不可测。正因为他们深不可测，才勉强对他们加以描述：他们三思而行，如冬日行走在薄冰之上；他们小心谨慎，如防范四周可能发生的危机；他们端庄拘谨，像在别人家中做客一样；他们融合可亲，如同冰柱消融；他们敦厚淳朴，就像未经雕饰的原木；他们心胸开阔，就像空旷的山谷；他们抱扑守拙，如饱含泥沙的浊水。

他们能避开繁杂的物质生活，静心回到本源道能去体验其寂静；能在本源中安然补充本质生命能量，又回到现实生活中遵道而行。能够按上述的方式生活的人，不去追求圆满十足。

恰恰是因为不去追求圆满，他们才能够抱朴守拙， 被褐怀玉。