Te-Tao Ching by Robert G. Henricks

[Marblehead]

[Mark Saltveit]

The following is the modifies version of Robert G. Henricks' Tao Te Ching

 

 

Thanks! Would you mind explaining the strip set notation in a bit more detail?

[dawei]

I made a comment over here on the versions you are providing:

http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/17342-on-the-tao-te-ching/page__pid__250264__st__16entry250264

 

This is a neat idea to show Hendricks' translations but neither is based on the main text everyone knows. That aside, as a means of simply seeing what Hendricks is providing. The confusion (well, to me) is that some of the chapters are a mix of his Ma-wang-tui and Guodian in the same chapter and there is no reflection of which is which.

 

take Chapter 5 for example:

 

Your Original Post:

Chapter 5 (A:12)

 

1. Heaven and Earth are not humane;

2. They regard the thousand things as straw dogs.

3. The Sage is not humane;

4. He regards the common people as straw dogs.

5. The space between Heaven and Earth—

5a. Is it not like a bellow?

6. Though it is empty it does not collapse;

7. When put into motion it sends forth all the more.

8. Much learning means frequent exhaustions.

9. That's not so good as holding on to the mean.

 

---

 

Hendricks Ma-wang-tui:

1. Heaven and Earth are not humane;

2. They regard the the thousand things as straw dogs.

3. The Sage is not humane;

4. He regards the common people as straw dogs.

5. The space between Heaven and Earth—is it not like a bellow?

6. It is empty and yet not depleted;

7. Move it and more [always] comes out.

8. Much learning means frequent exhaustions.

9. That's not so good as holding on to the mean.

 

---

 

Hendricks Guodian:

5. The space between Heaven and Earth—

5a. Is it not like a bellow?

6. Though it is empty it does not collapse;

7. When put into motion it sends forth all the more.

 

---

 

The Guodian only has 4 lines for this chapter but the way you show it in the original post, it is impossible to know what is Ma-wang-tui and what is Guodian.

 

I think for each chapter, you should just show each one separately and not mix them. That way, you'll also show the nuance of his own changes. Note line six in his two versions !

 

Just my thought. Nice idea.

Edited March 21, 2011 by dawei

[Marblehead]

The Guodian only has 4 lines for this chapter but the way you show it in the original post, it is impossible to know what is Ma-wang-tui and what is Guodian.

 

I think for each chapter, you should just show each one separately and not mix them. That way, you'll also show the nuance of his own changes. Note line six in his two versions !

 

Just my thought. Nice idea.

 

Yep. That is why I said that I modified Henricks' original with the new lines from the Guodian strips where there was any difference.

 

I do understand what you are saying though.

 

We'll see how this goes and possibly make changes or additions if necessary.

[SageMD]

Hmm, it may be that I am still too much the student to appreciate the uniqueness from one translation to an other but, I much prefer the words chosen in this version:

 

Chapter 5

 

Heaven and Earth are impartial

They regard myriad things as straw dogs

The sages are impartial

They regard people as straw dogs

 

The space between Heaven and Earth

Is it not like a bellows?

Empty, and yet never exhausted

It moves, and produces more

 

Too many words hasten failure

Cannot compare to keeping to the void

 

http://www.taoism.net/ttc/complete.htm

 

 

I was wondering why Robert G. Henricks seems to be so popular on this site. Who is he?

[Marblehead]

 

I was wondering why Robert G. Henricks seems to be so popular on this site. Who is he?

 

I guess I will have to take most of the blame for making it appear that Henricks is popular. Hehehe.

 

There are two main reasons why I prefer Henricks' translation:

 

Many scholarly reviews of his work has praised him for his painstaking efforts of translating the ancient Chinese texts into an accurate reflection of the original characters and presenting the work in an understandable format for the English reader.

 

It is my understanding that Henricks had no philosophical or religious reasons for undertaking the task but it was simply a scholarly challenge. As a result I think that this is the translation that remains truer to the Chinese philosophy of the times than any other translation.

 

These two reasons are mine, and I put them on no one else. Other people's understandings will surely vary.

 

Here is a short bio on him:

 

http://oscar.virginia.edu/asp/PeopleView.asp?txtPersonID=18318

[SageMD]

OK, Thanks, Marblehead