THE TAO TEH CHING (CLASSIC TRANSLATION) BY JAMES LEGGE VERSE (1891)

This is another translation that I really don't like. I consider it the second worst of all the versions that I have read so far. As in the Carus version, the author can't seem to decide whether he wants to write in poetry or prose and so tends to mix them up pretty badly. He also uses some strange terms (at least they seem strange to me) such a 'trodden' for 'named' and 'dogs of grass' for 'straw dogs.'

Some of the verse, though, are fairy standard and don't differ horribly from other translations and there are even some verses that have no poetry in them at all.

This is also one of the oldest translations I have yet found.

Verse 1

The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name. (Conceived of as) having no name, it is the Originator of heaven and earth; (conceived of as) having a name, it is the Mother of all things. Always without desire we must be found, If its deep mystery we would sound; But if desire always within us be, Its outer fringe is all that we shall see. Under these two aspects, it is really the same; but as development takes place, it receives the different names. Together we call them the Mystery. Where the Mystery is the deepest is the gate of all that is subtle and full.

(This is in paragraph form. The first part uses the 'trodden' in place of 'named' which, to me, is not the same meaning at all. There's a tiny bit of poetry snuck in, of course. The rest of the verse doesn't seem to flow or make as much sense as other versions.

Verse 5

Heaven and earth do not act from (the impulse of) any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with. The sages do not act from (any wish to be) benevolent; they deal with the people as the dogs of grass are dealt with. May not the space between heaven and earth be compared to a bellows? 'Tis emptied, yet it loses not its power; 'Tis moved again, and sends forth air the more. Much speech to swift exhaustion lead we see; Your inner being guard, and keep it free.

(Here we have the use of 'dogs of grass' instead of 'straw dogs.' The last part is done in unecessary poetry.

Verse 6

(Here he goes again; more poetry. The first sentence really makes no sense. None of the poetry is unnecessary.)

Verse 14

We look at it, and we do not see it, and we name it 'the Equable.' We listen to it, and we do not hear it, and we name it 'the Inaudible.' We try to grasp it, and do not get hold of it, and we name it 'the Subtle.' With these three qualities, it cannot be made the subject of description; and hence we blend them together and obtain The One. Its upper part is not bright, and its lower part is not obscure Ceaseless in its action, it yet cannot be named, and then it again returns and becomes nothing. This is called the Form of the Formless, and the Semblance of the Invisible; this is called the Fleeting and Indeterminable. We meet it and do not see its Front; we follow it, and do not see its Back. When we can lay hold of the Tao of old to direct the things of the present day, and are able to know it as it was of old in the beginning, this is called (unwinding) the clue of Tao

(Here we have the use of the word 'equable.' The rest of the verse just doesn't quite seem to make much sense, especially the last line.

The rest of the book being much the same, I'll just use the verses as sided to make my point that this is not a good translation.

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