1. sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere. those who are skilled (in the tao) do not dispute (about it); the disputatious are not skilled in it. those who know (the tao) are not extensively learned; the extensively learned do not know it.

2. the sage does not accumulate (for himself). the more that he expends for others, the more does he possess of his own; the more that he gives to others, the more does he have himself.

3. with all the sharpness of the way of heaven, it injures not; with all the doing in the way of the sage he does not strive.

信言不美，美言不信；

善者不辩，辩者不善；

知者不博，博者不知。

圣人不积。

既以为人己愈有，既以与人己愈多。

天之道，利而不害；圣人之道，为而不争。

【译文】

真实的表述不见得漂亮，漂亮的表述不见得真实；善良的人不见得擅长道义之辩，擅长于道义之辩的不见得善良；明于道的人不见得博学，博学的不见得明于道。圣人不堆积这些德能表观以及功果财富的附赘。他尽力帮助人民，他自己也更充实；他尽量给予人民，他自己也更丰富。理想的行为方式是顺导万物而不妨害万物，圣人的行为准则是虽有作为但不与人争。