Tao Te Ching

Browsing through Schuler Books the other day I came across a translation of the Tao Te Ching by one of my favorite translators of Chinese poetry, David Hinton. Mr. Hinton is a well regarded sinologist, which makes his translations of ancient Chinese texts stand out above many of the rest. Even his poetry translations, in my opinion, are better than poets like Pound, Rexroth, Snyder and Williams--all of whom studied Chinese and translated Chinese poetry.

Here's a poem from the Tao Te Ching as translated by Mr. Hinton.

Forcing it fuller and fuller
can't compare to just enough,
and honed sharper and sharper
means it won't keep for long.

Once it's full of jade and gold
your house will never be safe.
Proud of wealth and renown
you bring on your own ruin.

Just do what you do, and then leave:
such is the Way of heaven.
(9)

Hinton provides some helpful notes, key terms and introductory comments with his edition. In reading this poem, it is helpful to understand that "the Way" (Tao) can be conceived as the "generative ontological process through which all things arise and pass away." In the case of Lao Tzu (who is credited with writing the Tao Te Ching), "heaven" is a much more secular concept than in the Abrahamic faiths. A better understanding of the use of the word in this case would be a "natural process: the constant unfolding of things in the cosmological process."

In writing the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu is, among other thing, reacting to the Shang and Chou dynasties' appropriation of paleolithic Chinese concepts of God and heaven for the purpose of consolidating political and social power. That makes this an interesting read in today's world where global figures conveniently mix politics and ancient faiths.