tao te ching by lao tzu translated by stephen mitchell

People should 'cling to no treasures,' but rather devote themselves to a pure disinterestedness, becoming most truly themselves when they achieve selflessness. Lao Tzu meditates on breath, enjoining the reader to practice breathing like a baby reflects on hsu, or emptiness juxtaposes heaven and earth and soberly reminds readers of their mortality. Let's eat, Grandpa! Let's eat Grandpa! (Punctuation saves lives.Lao Tzu's classic Chinese text from the sixth century BCE has much to teach us today.My Year of Reading Russian Literature (1).My Year of Reading Japanese Literature (2).My Year of Reading French Literature (Second Edition) (1).

My Year Of Reading French Literature (12).

But one thing I don’t know is how much he or any of these other translators stay true to the original vs bringing in their own style and interpretations. I find his style simpler than the other translations, and I find that the central point comes through more clearly. It’s like looking at a work of art from different angles! I think Mitchell’s version of this verse brings another point of view: You’re right, they all contribute something different. I’ve only ever read one translation, by Stephen Mitchell, so I appreciated seeing these other versions. I love the Tao te Ching, Vishy, so I enjoyed this post. On Decemat 12:04 AM | Reply Andrew Blackman Therefore consider: advantage comes from having thingsĭid you like this verse? Which of the three translations is your favourite? Their emptiness is what makes them useful.

It is the hole that makes the wheel useful. Friends have told me that the three translations are like hearing the same story from three different points of view and how all of them together are required to savour the meaning of those lines. They are all beautiful, with subtle differences, especially in the last lines. I thought I’ll share three of the translations of Verse 11 that I read. Such a simple thought but with such profound depth. I got goosebumps and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

When I read it for the first time, it had a profound effect on me. I read it for the first time in a footnote in the Korean classic ‘The Nine Cloud Dream’ by Kim Man-Jung. I thought I’ll share one of my favourite verses from the book, Verse 11. The edition I dipped into, translated by Ralph Alan Dale, had Chinese calligraphy and beautiful, exquisite, black-and-white landscape pictures, which made the reading experience even more beautiful. While exploring classical Chinese literature, I’ve been dipping into the ‘ Tao Te Ching‘ by Lao Tzu recently, marvelling at its beauty.

Tao te ching by lao tzu translated by stephen mitchell