“道”永远是处于无名而质朴的状态。它虽然幽微不可见，天下却没有人能支配它。侯王如果能保有它，万物将会自动地服从。天地之间（阴阳之气）相合，就降下甘露，人民没有令它均匀，它却自然均匀。万物兴作，就产生了各种名称，各种名称已经产生，就要知道适可而止；知道适可而止，就可以避免危险。“道”为天下所归，正如江海为一切小河流所归一样。
第三十二章
道常无名。
朴虽小，
天下莫能臣也。
侯王若能守之，
万物将自宾。
天地相合，
以降甘露，
民莫之令而自均。
始制有名，
名亦既有，
夫亦将知止，
知止可以不殆。
譬道之在天下，
犹川谷之于江海。
Chapter 32
The Way eternal has no name.
A block of wood untooled, though small,
May still excel the world.
And if the king and nobles could
Retain its potency for good,
Then everything would freely give
Allegiance to their rule.
The earth and sky would then conspire
To bring the sweet dew down;
And evenly it would be given
To folk without constraining power.
Creatures came to be with order's birth,
And once they had appeared,
Came also knowledge of repose,
And with that was security.
In this world,
Compare those of the Way
To torrents that flow
Into river and sea.
