第1章：观妙章 (Chapter 1: The Manifestation of the Dao)
【简体中文版】 道可道，非常道；名可名，非常名。 无名，天地之始；有名，万物之母。 故常无欲，以观其妙；常有欲，以观其徼。 此两者，同出而异名，同谓之玄。 玄之又玄，众妙之门。
【繁體中文版】 道可道，非常道；名可名，非常名。 無名，天地之始；有名，萬物之母。 故常無欲，以觀其妙；常有欲，以觀其弼。 此兩者，同出而異名，同謂之玄。 玄之又玄，眾妙之門。
【English Version】 The Dao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Dao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name. Conceived of as having no name, it is the Originator of heaven and earth; conceived of as having a name, it is the Mother of all things. Always without desire we must be found, if its deep mystery we would sound; but if desire always within us be, its outer fringe is all that we shall see. Under these two aspects, it is really the same; but as development takes place, it receives the different names. Together we call them the Mystery. Where the Mystery is the deepest is the gate of all that is subtle and wonderful.
