Tao Te Ching · Ch. 39

昔之得一者:天得一以清;地得一以寧;神得一以靈;谷得一以盈;萬物得一以生;侯王得一以為天下正。其致之也,謂天無以清,將恐裂;地無以寧,將恐廢;神無以靈,將恐歇;谷無以盈,將恐竭;萬物無以生,將恐滅;侯王無以貴高,將恐蹶。故貴以賤為本,高以下為基。是以侯王自謂孤寡不穀。此非以賤為本邪?非乎?故致數輿無輿。不欲琭琭如玉,珞珞如石。

Xī zhī dé yī zhě: Tiān dé yī yǐ qīng; Dì dé yī yǐ níng; Shén dé yī yǐ líng; Gǔ dé yī yǐ yíng; Wàn wù dé yī yǐ shēng; Hóu wáng dé yī yǐ wéi tiān xià zhèng. Qí zhì zhī yě, wèi tiān wú yǐ qīng, jiāng kǒng liè; Dì wú yǐ níng, jiāng kǒng fèi; Shén wú yǐ líng, jiāng kǒng xiē; Gǔ wú yǐ yíng, jiāng kǒng jié; Wàn wù wú yǐ shēng, jiāng kǒng miè; Hóu wáng wú yǐ guì gāo, jiāng kǒng jué. Gù guì yǐ jiàn wéi běn, gāo yǐ xià wéi jī. Shì yǐ hóu wáng zì wèi gū guǎ bù gǔ. Cǐ fēi yǐ jiàn wéi běn yé? Fēi hū? Gù zhì shù yú wú yú. Bù yù lù lù rú yù, luò luò rú shí.

These are the things that from of old have obtained the One: Heaven obtained the One and became clear; earth obtained the One and became still; spirits obtained the One and became potent; the valleys obtained the One and became full; the ten thousand things obtained the One and came to life; rulers obtained the One and became righteous leaders of the world. All these are the results of obtaining the One. Without that One, heaven would crack; earth would heave; spirits would lose their power; valleys would run dry; the ten thousand things would perish; and rulers, however lofty, would fall. Thus nobility has its root in lowliness, and height has its foundation in what is below. For this reason kings and lords call themselves 'the orphan,' 'the lonely one,' 'the unworthy.' Is this not taking lowliness as their root? Counting the parts of a carriage one by one yields no carriage — the whole is more than its enumerated pieces. Do not wish to be like jade, precious and rare — be like stone, solid and common.

— Tao Te Ching 39

Source: Wang Bi edition (Chinese) + Hanyu Pinyin transliteration