《道德经》第五章
天地不仁，以万物为刍狗；圣人不仁，以百姓为刍狗。天地之间，其犹橐籥乎！虚而不屈，动而愈出。多言数穷，不如守中。
《Tao-Te Ching》Chapter 5
Heaven and Earth are ruthless；To them the Ten Thousand Things are but as straw dogs. The Sage too is ruthless；To him the people are but as straw dogs. Yet Heaven and Earth and all that lies between Is like a bellows In that it is empty，but gives a supply that never fails. Work it，and more comes out . Whereas the force of words is soon spent. Far better is it to keep what is in the heart. Though ruthless nature is perpetually bounteous. Laws and proclamations. For chung as‘what is within the heart’，see Tso Chuan，Yin Kung 3rd year and Kuan Tzu，37，beginning. The comparison of Heaven and Earth to a bellows is also found in Kuan Tzu（P‘ien 11，beginning）。
【易解】
天地无所谓仁爱之心，把万物都当作"刍狗"来看待；圣人也不执求仁爱之心，把百姓也当作"刍狗"来看待。天地之间，不正像是气囊或空管那样的大空泡吗？它虽空虚但却不会塌缩，运行之中生化不息。孜孜于仗名立言往往行不通，不如持守空虚而顺任自然。
道德经全文及译文