Laotzu's Tao and Wu Wei (Dwight Goddard, Henri Borel) - 1919

This is good example of what I believe in relation to age of something. Just because a book is old, for example, does not mean it is bad or useless. In some fields that might apply, as, for example, books on astronomy. But when a book deals with spiritual matters age does not matter. This book has some very good translation material in it and is definitely worth reading.

The verses are done in paragraph form.

Verse 1

The Tao that can be understood understood cannot be the primal, or cosmic, Tao, just as an idea that can be expressed in words cannot be the infinite idea And yet this ineffable Tao was the source of all spirit and matter, and being expressed was the mother of all created things Therefore not to desire the things of sense is to know the freedom of spirituality; and to desire is to learn the limitation of matter. These two things spirit and matter, so different in nature, have the same origin. This unity of origin is the mystery of mysteries, but it is the gateway to spirituality.

(This makes it a little clearer that words describing something do not necessarily describe the something fully. Indeed, some things may be beyond actual description as such. Spirit and matter have the same origin and both come from the Tao.)

Verse 9

Continuing to fill a pail after it is full the water will be wasted. Continuing to grind an axe after it is sharp will soon wear it away Who can protect a public hall crowded with gold and jewels? The pride of wealth and position brings about their own misfortune. To win true merit, to preserve just fame, the personality must be retiring. This is the heavenly Tao.

Verse 18: The Palliation of the Emperor. This is the strangest title I have found in any of the translations.

Verse 50: As in other versions, he uses the three out of ten approach which ends up with 9, not 10. Unlike other versions, he accounts for the tenth person, which he says is an immortal.

Verse 58

When an administration is unostentatious the people are simple. When an administration is inquisitive, the people are needy. Misery, alas, supports happiness. Happiness, alas, conceals misery. Who knows its limits? It never ceases. The normal becomes the abnormal. The good in turn becomes unlucky. The people's confusion is felt daily for a long time Therefore the wise man is square, yet does not injure, he is angular but does not annoy. He is upright but is not cross. He is bright but not glaring.

(Note 'unostentatious.' This translations does, at times, use five dollar words when fifty cent words would do just as well. The normal becoming the abnormal is sort of vague. The translation is in the above paragraph form.)

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