Which Tao Te Ching Translation?

[PivotalSyntax]

As the title says, which translations would you recommend for me to buy?

And, I have a concern. The concern stems out of meaning being lost in translation. To truly have a deep understanding of the Tao Te Ching do you need to read it in it's unaltered form? It seems like a lot of people have criticisms over translations because much can be lost from the difficulty of translating a piece written in ancient Chinese, as opposed to modern Chinese.

 

[Onkara]

I searched for a lot online and compared a few verses, I would recommend the same approach to see which resonates or makes sense to you. Others, much better acquainted with Tao Te Ching, will point us to more sites if there isn't some in the Tao DIR already.

I wouldn't buy one personally, rather read a few, find a PDF and print a copy first, should that be an easy option for you of course. Others may suggest a good book for us

e.g.

Accurate Translation of the Tao Te Ching

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu Translated by D. C. Lau, Terebess Asia Online (TAO)

 

[Smoke]

I like Stephen Miller's version the best, but it's so free that it might be reaching to call it a translation.

As I understand it -- Ni hao is my entire Chinese vocabulary -- Chinese and English are so different that it's largely a matter of taste. The more literal the translation is, the less sense it makes in English. On the other hand, a smooth and readable English translation will sacrifice layers of meaning that are present in the Chinese.

 

[WayFarer]

I would compare several and see which speaks to you loudest. I like the Peter Merel translation myself.

 

[Master Vigil]

All of them. Seriously, they are translations. Unless you speak fluent Chinese (archaic Chinese as well), you will have to rely on translations. Don't expect one to be perfect. Read them all!! Or at least, as many as you can. And if that doesn't satisfy you... learn Chinese.

 

[wmjbyatt]

Well, frankly, the Tao cannot be understood at all through reading it. The words can only prime your mind to accept the flow of things. Your own thoughts and experience make the final step into actually understanding the Tao (though at that point, I'm not sure "understanding" is the right word anymore). So like posters above have said, find the translations which speaks most powerfully to you. Or get a bunch of translations. I don't read Chinese, personally, but I have a sneaking suspicion that, even if I did, the Tao Te Ching in its original words couldn't speak more loudly than some of the English versions I've read. I personally think very highly of Ursula K. LeGuin's edition of the Tao Te Ching, but the free one that's on http:///www.taoteching.org is not bad at all.

 

[Smoke]

I personally think very highly of Ursula K. LeGuin's edition of the Tao Te Ching

I didn't know she'd done one! I just previewed a few pages on Amazon, and I think I need to read the whole thing.

 

[wmjbyatt]

I didn't know she'd done one! I just previewed a few pages on Amazon, and I think I need to read the whole thing.

Strictly, it's an EDITION of the Tao Te Ching, not a Translation, since LeGuin doesn't know any Chinese. She developed it out of her own personal experience with the Tao, synthesis from several different translations, input from a few scholars, and a very old translation that she had that gave the English side-by-side with the Chinese, giving both a poetic English version and the literal translation of each Chinese character. But, yeah, it really is fantastic. Highly recommended.

 

[zenzero]

Friend PS,

Start anywhere to be the flow.
Whatever be the translation; start, somewhere down the line, you may yourself have your own interpretation as they are all pointers.

Love & rgds

 

[angrymoose]

As the title says, which translations would you recommend for me to buy?

And, I have a concern. The concern stems out of meaning being lost in translation. To truly have a deep understanding of the Tao Te Ching do you need to read it in it's unaltered form? It seems like a lot of people have criticisms over translations because much can be lost from the difficulty of translating a piece written in ancient Chinese, as opposed to modern Chinese.

Every version of the TTC I've read so far, had the same basic meaning. There were differences but I don't think they are severe enough to lose the over all message

A lot of people on know, like Derek Lin's translation. I like it but since I can't speak Chinese, can't say its truly more correct.

Its not a supernatural book