Tao Te Ching: The New Translation from Tao Te Ching, The Definitive Edition (Tarcher Cornerstone Editions) Mass Market Paperback – January 10, 2008

Regarding translations; I have 13 versions of the Bible, and each is important and suited to a particular purpose. Having tried many times to completely read through the entire Tao Te Ching using various translations, this particular one seemed very good, in that it gave the sense, meaning, or essence of what the ancient valuable text would want the reader to understand, in today’s modern terms or language. So using this translation, I have easily met my goal to read through the entire Tao Te Ching, and, simultaneously gaining a good understanding of the sense, meaning, and essence of the archaic text.August Gold, who penned the Introduction to this translation, clearly articulated why this translation is her favorite, and her reasons are quoted below:“This is ‘the’ translation for anyone truly wanting to understand the Tao Te Ching. Up until recently, this Eastern Text has been translated into English by scholars since the late 1800s. While they use the English lexicon to accomplish their purpose (which was to make a scholarly translation), and while it left the text correct in a literal sense, it deprived the verses of their sheer beauty and poetic power. Thus many of these early translations come across as a bit dusty, old-fashioned, and irrelevant to our lives.Don’t take my word for it, see for yourself. First the older translation of the first stanza of Verse 5:‘Heaven and Earth are not humane, And regard the people as straw dogs. The sage is not humane, And regards all things as straw dogs.’ (Translated by Charles Muller, Tōyō Gakuen University)Now Jonathan Star’s translation:‘Heaven and Earth have no preference. A man may choose one over another, But to Heaven and Earth all are the same. The high, the low, the great, the small - All are given light, All get a place to rest.’The first is an accurate translation that might be intellectually correct. Jonathan Star’s translation also adheres closely to the original text, but is far more profound because of its ability to be immediately grasped and applied to your life. Scholarly texts feed the mind and that’s a good thing; but a text that feeds the mind, body and soul, and, not to mention, one which can help us transform our lives today, is infinitely more valuable.While the early translations are still common fare and have value for the scholar, a recent number of modern translations have emerged that appeal to the spiritual seeker. Those translations (or ‘versions’) - by Stephen Mitchell, Ursula Le Guin, and Brian Browne Walker, just to name a few - all offer something of value, and I’ve admired many of them. However, none of them have done what Jonathan Star has done, which is to marry the scholarly concerns of accuracy with the poetry of someone who has lived the words. He brilliantly balances the two worlds - the academic and the experiential - in a way that I believe no other translator of the Tao Te Ching has done before him. For me (August Gold), this is simply the best translation available, bar none.” - August Gold, ‘Sacred Center New York’.For all the aforementioned reasons, mine, and August Gold’s (quoted), Jonathan Star’s translation of the Tao Te Ching clearly deserves a full five star rating; and while the 81 parts of the Tao Te Ching may not amount to so many pages as compared to the healthy price for this translation, I had to ask myself prior to purchasing it whether the spiritual benefit gained would far outweigh and therefore justify the comparative high price per page - and I answered, yes.

As someone who is new to Eastern philosophy, this book is an accessible, and poetic take on the TTC. I've compared to other editions and the translations vary tremendously not just in style but in use of metaphor, word choice, and cadence. With an ancient text written in a non-wetern tongue, it's difficult for a neophyte to know if you're getting the straight dope.That being said, it's a beautiful work, and I've found tremendous insight and meaning in it. I would guess that the translation is geared toward contemporary westerners, as opposed academics, and like any work of philosophy or religious thought, it's important to take it with a grain of salt, and consider that it was written for an ancient world. That aside, it's still an essential read that touches on countless human truths. The deceptively simple passages of the TTC can have a profound influence on the way one looks at one's world.Personally, I feel slightly more at peace, more understanding of the ebbs and flows of life, and from that stronger and more clear-headed, every time I read from this book. One thing the eastern traditions of Taoism and Buddhism seem to stress is seeing the truth for what it is, not believing in signs and symbols, or what you think you know or what you have been telling yourself, and this book illuminates that notion. In a media-saturated society oozing deceptive advertising and political punditry, it's great meditate on reality once in a while.

This book has been a huge blessing to me over the years. I found the original Tarcher/Penguin of this book shortly after it was released in 2001. It quickly became one of my favorite books. Then I picked it up again in 2007 and this rekindled my love for Lao Tzu in the voice of Jonathan Star. No other English translation compares with this one.I was delighted to find the Tarcher Cornerstone Editions of this book in 2010. The book is very compact; much less bulky than the 2001 version. It is nice for giving people as a gift.I am a Mormon, but I believe there are many ways to God (Tao). Lao Tzu is a prophet, and my personal favorite besides Jesus. This book has awakened me to many truths that I wouldn't know how to find anywhere else. Readers who love this book and Lao Tzu in general may also want ot try "Hua Hu Ching: The Unknown Teachings of Lao Tzau" by Brian Walker.

I did a lot of research ahead of time. I'm not an expert on Taoism or this book, but I do have a background in studying ancient works. Translation is very important.One of the big reasons I bought this is because as I was reading the verses, I kept having "aha" moments. For whatever reason, this translation feels really clear to me, without losing the tone of the original, which I understand is a bit cryptic in places. I feel he deals well with the paradoxes, contradictions, and riddles. In my opinion, it's bad to over-explain things in a translation, because the reader doesn't have to wrestle with the text. And it's in wrestling with a text like this that it's possible to gain understand beyond the words themselves.I also love that he goes word-for-word in the back and gives multiple meanings for the words. I don't know much about ancient Chinese, but it's exciting to me that I can get a sense of the broader meanings and associations of these words. That to me is important to a faithful translation in any language, especially ones that are so far away from my native culture and language.

Good condition on time