October 2008

Commentary

This old dog’s got to learn a few new tricks to deal with this new format. In the meantime I’ll just flog away, starting today.

I’m not sure what to do about the translations and commentaries. I’ve dumped out two decades worth of commentary using D.C. Lau’s translation. Now, in translating it myself, the translation is, in truth, also a commentary; meaning that interpretation and translation can not be anything other than commentary in the final view. If you feel ‘reality is in the eye of the beholder’ you’ll agree I expect.

Anyway, here is how I see chapter 1 today. You’ll note some striking differences between the ‘normal way’ it is usually translated and what I’ve done here. It tickles my mind’s eye. Who knows what I’ll see when I next revisit this chapter. First my polished and poetically licensed translation, followed by a translation of the literal Chinese.

Translation

The way worth thinking, runs counter to the normal way.
The name worth expressing runs counter to the normal name.
Without description, the universe began.
Of the describable universe, the origin.
Hence, normally without desire, so as to observe its wonder.
Normally having desire, so as to observe its fate.
These two come out together, yet separate in description.
Coming out together, meaning dark and mysterious.
Dark and dark again – mysterious.

way (road, principle; speak; think, suppose) can (may; need doing; worth doing) way (road, principle; speak; think, suppose),

wrong (run counter to) ordinary (normal; constant; invariable; usually) way (road, principle; speak; think, suppose).

name (express; describe) can (may; suit; be worth doing) name (express; describe)，

wrong (run counter to) ordinary (normal; constant; invariable; usually) name (express; describe).

nothing (nil; without) name (express; describe) heaven and earth (world; universe) of beginning (start).

have (there is; exist) name (express; describe) all things on earth of mother (origin; parent).

incident (hence; cause) ordinary (normal; constant; invariable; usually) nothing (nil; without) desire use (take; so as to) observe its wonderful (excellent).

ordinary (normal; constant; invariable; usually) have (there is; exist) desire use (take; so as to) observe its by mere luck (boundary).

this two (both; either) same (together) come out (exceed; go beyond; happen) yet different (strange; separate) name (express; describe),

same (together) say (call; meaning; sense) of black (dark; mysterious; profound).

black (dark; mysterious; profound) of also (again) black (dark; mysterious; profound)

Original

道可道，
非常道。
名可名，
非常名。
无名天地之始。
有名万物之母。
故常无欲以观其妙。
常有欲以观其徼。
此两者同出而异名，
同谓之玄。
玄之又玄，
众妙之门。