第三十二章  知止不殆

道常無，名樸。雖小，天下莫能臣。侯王若能守之，萬物將自賓。
天地相合，以降甘露，民莫之令而自均。始制有名，名亦既有，夫亦將知止，知止可以不殆。譬道之在天下，猶川谷之于江海。

Knowing When to Stop is to Avoid Dangers

The Tao will always be beyond comprehension. Although it seems trivial No one in all the world can control it.

If leaders would hold to it, the whole world would serve them spontaneously.

Heaven and Earth will be harmonized And send down sweet dew. Peace and order will reign among the people without any command from above.

When civilization arose, names began. With names, one should know when to stop. Knowing when to stop, frees one from danger.

All things end in the Tao as rivers flow into the sea.

 [譯文]

道本源能量質樸而沒有名稱，他的本性純樸自然，他雖然小不足見，但整個顯現的宇宙萬物都在它的顯現轉換中。侯王若能掌握持守此先天之道， 萬物治理井然有序。宇宙間陰陽相和， 百姓將無須強加號令也會自然和諧均衡。道由無形的能量化生有名萬物，有名部分也就是人類可以認知的。作為萬物之靈的人亦要知曉有所為、而有所不為的天理，只有這樣，才可以順勢而為，避開危險。

道在宇宙間，猶如江海，一切河川溪流都歸源于它。