《道德經》中英譯文：第1章

1. 道可道，非常道。
道（天道、上帝的命令）或許可以用人類的語言去描述，但永恆的道不是俗世常人所能描述清楚的。
Dao (The Word, the Way, or the Order of God) may be described using human languages, but the eternal Dao can not be clearly described by the secular world.

2. 名可名，非常名。
他的名稱也可以被指定，但永恆的道不是人類所能理解清楚的。
His name may be nominated, but the eternal Dao can not be clearly comprehended by human beings.

3. 無名，天地始。
道不需要名稱，因為他是天地的創造者。
Dao does not need a name, because he is the creator of the universe.

4. 有名，萬物母。
縱使給他取了一個名稱，道依然是萬物的母親。(也就是說，不管「道」有沒有名稱，他都是天地的創造者和萬物的母親。)
Even Dao is given a name, she is still the mother of all things. (This means that no matter Dao is given a name or not, it changes nothing because he/she is the creator of the universe and the mother of all things.)

5. 常無，欲觀其妙。
道會以「虛無」的狀態存在，然而它的奥祕依然可以從微小的現象中檢測出來（如物理或化學反應）。
Dao may appear intangibly, yet its mystery can still be sensed through micro phenomena (such as physics or chemical reactions).

6. 常有，欲觀其徼。
道也會以「有形」的狀態存在，因為它的蹤跡可以從散發出來的光芒（或能量、微波…等其他現象）觀察出來。
Dao may also appear tangibly because its trace is observable through light emissions (or other forms such as energy, wave, etc.).

7. 此兩者同出而異名， 同謂之玄。
「虛無」和「有形」兩種狀態都來自同一個根源，盡管名稱不同，然而他們都是出自那位神秘偉大的造物主（易經、尚書和詩經稱這位造物主為「上帝、天父」）。
Both intangible and tangible states came from the same origin. Although having opposite names yet they were both from the highest mysterious creator (named God, or heavenly Father by Yijing, Shangshu and Shijing).

8. 玄之又玄，眾妙之門。
這位創造天地、偉大又神秘的「造物主」是不可思議的奇蹟，他是宇宙和萬有一切奧秘的門戶和根基。
The highest mysterious creator is subtle and miraculous, for he is the pathway and foundation of the universe and all things.