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    Tao Te Ching: A New English Version
    Tao Te Ching: A New English Version
    Tao Te Ching: A New English Version
    Ebook157 pages1 hour

    Tao Te Ching: A New English Version

    By Stephen Mitchell and Lao Tsu

    4.5/5

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    • Taoism

    • Spirituality

    • Wisdom

    • Philosophy

    • Leadership

    • Wise Mentor

    • Mentor

    • Journey

    • Inner Journey

    • Simple Life

    • Enlightenment Superpowers

    • Philosophical Discourse

    • Mentor Figure

    • Wise Old Man

    • Power of Nature

    • Humility

    • Mindfulness

    • Inner Peace

    • Simplicity

    • Harmony

    About this ebook

    Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, or “Book of the Way,” is the classic manual on the art of living. In eighty-one brief chapters, the Tao Te Ching gives advice that imparts balance and perspective, along with a serene and generous spirit. It explains the Tao, or the basic principle of the universe, and teaches the reader how to work for good with the effortless skill that comes from being in accord with the Tao. These lessons apply to all aspects of life, from government to love, from childrearing to ecology.

    The Tao Te Ching is the most widely translated book in world literature, after the Bible. Yet the clarity of the original has only rarely been captured. This rendering by eminent scholar Stephen Mitchell presents the Tao Te Ching as poetry, written with all the skill which Mitchell brought to his renowned translations of Rilke.

    Lao Tzu was one of the great philosophers of ancient China, and is a central figure in Taoism. According to Chinese tradition, Lao Tzu lived in the 6th century BC. Historians debate whether Lao Tzu is a combination of multiple historical figures, a mythical figure, or an actual person.

    Stephen Mitchell was born in Brooklyn in 1943, educated at Amherst, the Sorbonne, and Yale, and de-educated through intensive Zen practice. His many books include the bestselling Tao Te Ching, Gilgamesh, and The Second Book of the Tao, as well as The Gospel According to Jesus, Bhagavad Gita, The Book of Job, and Meetings with the Archangel.

    “Beautiful and accessible; the English, as ‘fluid as melting ice,’ is a joy to read throughout.”

    –The New Republic
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 13, 2009
    ISBN9780061807398
    Author

    Stephen Mitchell

    Stephen Mitchell's many books include the bestselling Tao Te Ching, Gilgamesh, and The Second Book of the Tao, as well as The Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, The Gospel According to Jesus, Bhagavad Gita, The Book of Job, and Meetings with the Archangel.

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    Reviews for Tao Te Ching

    4.5/5

    159 ratings79 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be a great translation and interpretation, with clear and to-the-point content. It is considered a must-read book, full of wisdom that is deceptively simple yet effective. The enduring sacred text is clear and moving, making it one of the all-time favorites. The book's insight and wisdom are unmatched, and its simplicity and shortness make it a quick but life-altering read. Many readers love this book and consider it a weekly ritual."

    What did you think?

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    • 4/5

      Feb 6, 2012

      This is a review of the Penguin publication of the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu as translated by D. C. Lau in 1963. This is my first time reading anything about the Tao, apart from skimming Wikipedia entries, so I found Lau's 50+ page introduction both useful and insightful. He provides historical context for the work, and offers both the theory that Lao Tzu was a real philosopher and contemporary of Confucius and the theory that there was no "real" Lao Tzu and that the writing attributed to him is really a collection of folk sayings. I also greatly appreciated his interpretations of some difficult passages - the Tao is often concise to the point of obscurity and Lau's ability to bring in historical context to the poetic text is a welcome addition. For example:"... the Taoist precept of holding fast to the submissive lies in its usefulness as a means to survival. This being the case, we may feel that Lao tzu attaches an undue importance to survival. This feelings shows that we have not succeeded in understanding the environment that produced the hopes and fears which were crystallized into such a precept.The centuries in which the Lao tzu was produced were certainly turbulent times. China was divided into a number of states, to all intents and purposes autonomous, constantly engaged in wars of increasing scope and ferocity with one another. For the common man survival was a real and pressing problem." (p.29-30) I found this insight greatly useful when reading the many passages that stress the importance of inaction, doing nothing and basically keeping one's head down and staying out of the way. It also helps to explain the many passages directed towards rulers (translated as "sages") that stress keeping the people ignorant and not rewarding good behavior or displaying wealth since those things spurn jealousy and cause competition and unrest. Basically, the Tao in Lau's translation is not a mystical work but a survival guide for a war-torn ancient China - be quiet, don't do anything, don't want anything and don't invite anyone to start looking in your direction.My personal favourite quotes from the actual text:"Thus Something and Nothing produce each other;The difficult and the easy complement each other;The long and the short off-set each other;The high and the low incline towards each other;Note and sound harmonize with each other;Before and after follow each other." (II - 5 p.58)"When the best student hears about the wayHe practices it assiduously;When the average student hears about the wayIt seems to him one moment there and gone the next;When the worst student hears about the wayHe laughs out loud.If he did not laughIt would be unworthy of being the way....The way that is bright seems dull;The way that leads forward seems to lead backward;The way that is even seems rough. (XLI - 90-91 p. 102)
    • 5/5

      Mar 24, 2019

      Take your time to read this and absorb and understand it. it's full of wisdom that's deceptively simple yet so effective. I will keep reading it time and again to keep myself in good practise.
    • 5/5

      Jun 20, 2025

      Words of wisdom to reflect and live. Even a casual reading of these texts puts me in silence.
    • 5/5

      Jun 16, 2024

      Best translation I've ever read. Poetic, subtle, and and graceful - highly recommend!
    • 5/5

      Jul 12, 2023

      The book is a classic for a reason it's insight and wisdom are unmatched in most literature and it's simplicity and shortness make for a thirty or forty minute read that when you understand it you can alter your life.
    • 5/5

      May 10, 2023

      A clear and moving translation of an enduring sacred text.
    • 5/5

      Mar 2, 2023

      Great translation and interpretation. Will come back to translation again and again
    • 5/5

      Aug 10, 2022

      Nothing but Great. There are no words to best describe this.
    • 5/5

      Mar 25, 2022

      Good book. I had to reread many parts over and over as it is a very thought/non-thought provoking book.
    • 5/5

      Dec 12, 2020

      Loved this book, considered this reading being a weekly ritual!
    • 5/5

      Jun 16, 2020

      Great Book, Great Translation. One of my all time favorites...
    • 5/5

      Mar 23, 2020

      To the point and everything mentioned clearly. Must ready book.
    • 5/5

      Feb 16, 2020

      A timeless treasure trove of ancient wisdom. Le Guin's version is fluid, digestible, and enjoyable - adding a pleasant accessibility while still remaining faithful to the text.
    • 5/5

      Feb 16, 2020

      I've read 3 translations and this one is by far my favorite.
    • 5/5

      Feb 16, 2020

      In the introduction, Le Guin explains that the Tao Te Ching has been an influential book throughout her life, and that over the years she has made efforts at producing her own rendition of the classic. (She won’t call it a translation, since she doesn’t actually speak Chinese, but she has done extensive research— she provides copious notes on how she chose particular renderings in the back of the book— and produced this in collaboration with a scholar of the language.) Her goal has been to distill the clarity of the classic for a modern reader who is more likely one citizen among millions rather than a leader seeking sagacious insights for rulership. The result is quite good, with a penetrating brevity I haven’t seen in the other translations I’ve read. I actually wound up reading it with another translation to hand when I wanted to get another perspective on the occasional verse, but I think the simplicity of her rendering is a good place to start before going out looking for more nuance.
    • 5/5

      Jan 22, 2020

      That which can be reviewed is not the real tao
    • 5/5

      Jan 24, 2025

      A version that is a bit harder to read than the English version I read earlier this year. Hendricks is clearly a scholar. The upside of that is the nice argumentation on translation choices. The downside is a little loss in the 'simplicity' of the poems.

      This translation is a perfect addition to other versions and I highly recommend everyone to read the Tao Te Cing in more than one translation. It enriches your reading experience.
    • 5/5

      Jan 30, 2017

      Evolved individuals keep their minds open and impartial because fixed opinions or belief systems distort the flow of pure information coming in from the outside world. The way of power involves giving in. Timeless wisdom.
    • 3/5

      Jan 30, 2017

      Overall Ames and Hall translate the Dao well and provide some useful commentary. I skipped most of the commentary because it was a bit simple and didn't always provide insightful information. However, as a beginning translation, Ames and Hall provide an easy to read and well written introductory text on the Eastern philosophy of the Dao.
    • 4/5

      Jan 30, 2017

      The Tao Te Ching or Daodejing is a classic Chinese text that traditionally is said to go back to the 6th Century BCE, and written by Lao Tzu, a figure whose historicity is in dispute. According to the Wikipedia, texts of it have been excavated that go back to the 4th Century BCE. Some introductions to editions claim Lao Tzu was a teacher of Confucius, but other authorities I've checked think Taoism was a reaction to Confucianism, and that the text dates later than Confucius, to the time of the "five warring states." If you have a fat book on your hands, it must be filled with commentary, notes or illustrations, because the entire work is extremely short, consisting of 81 brief verses. In the edition I own translated by D.C. Lau, the Introduction is half as long than the text. This is the entirely of Chapter 6, in the Derek Lin translation, which can be found online: The valley spirit, undying Is called the Mystic Female The gate of the Mystic Female Is called the root of Heaven and Earth It flows continuously, barely perceptible Utilize it; it is never exhaustedAs that demonstrates, the meaning isn't always clear, at least to this Westerner, even if you have some familiarity with Taoism from other sources. There's a lot of paradox, opposites juxtaposed, and as the introduction to my owned edition states, the text is often "succinct to the point of obscurity." And as a philosophy, well, these aren't connected arguments. They're more the collected wisdom sayings of a common philosophical movement and not meant to be breezed through cover to cover. Yet even from my first read I found this enjoyable to read, and filled with pithy little words of wisdom: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step." (Chapter 64) And especially on a repeat read I can see why some in the libertarian movement embrace it. Note Chapter 57 (Derek Lin) Govern a country with upright integrity Deploy the military with surprise tactics Take the world with non-interference How do I know this is so? With the following: When there are many restrictions in the world The people become more impoverished When people have many sharp weapons The country becomes more chaotic When people have many clever tricks More strange things occur The more laws are posted The more robbers and thieves there are Therefore the sage says: I take unattached action, and the people transform themselves I prefer quiet, and the people right themselves I do not interfere, and the people enrich themselves I have no desires, and the people simplify themselvesThis is reflected in several other verses and I've seen this described as the "Wu=Wei" principle, which has influenced both libertarians such as Murray Rothbard and the Cato Institute's David Boaz and Left-anarchists such as Ursula LeGuin, who wrote a translation I recently saw in the neighborhood bookstore. There's a whole shelf full of different translations of this book, a marker of the worldwide and deep historical influence of the book--which has links to both Confucianism and Buddhism--that makes this worth reading and trying to understand. I'd compare different translations to find one that's congenial, since different translators render very different readings. Wayist Org and TaoTeChingMe.com have pages online comparing various translations.
    • 4/5

      Oct 27, 2019

      This is one of those quick to read, but long to digest books. It was interesting and will take more than one reading to feel more comfortable with.
    • 2/5

      Jun 16, 2024

      Look how short it is... but it took me a while.

      You have to have an open mind and really love this genre to understand it or to have it resonate deeply with you. (Translated from Spanish)
    • 4/5

      Oct 18, 2024

      Lovely illustrated edition. The photos help. I have not studied Eastern philosophies nor do I feel a driving need to in order to appreciate this. The wisdom is self-contained and context-free... just read a verse a week or so, mull it over, let it simmer, let it go....
    • 5/5

      Nov 9, 2023

      I have thoroughly enjoyed this book; although it's short, it has conveyed a lot of peace to me, and I agree with most of the points. (Translated from Spanish)
    • 5/5

      Jun 8, 2019

      From the book description: Drawing on meticulous study of multiple sources, this fresh but authoritative reading of Lao Tsu's timeless classic combines the poetry of the Tao Te Ching with a wealth of additional material: an introduction to the enigmatic Lao Tsu and his times; a discussion of the many challenges facing the translator; 81 illustrative Chinese characters/phrases, selected to highlight key themes in each chapter; separate commentary and inspirational quotes, as well as room for you to record your own impressions, section by section.
    • 5/5

      Feb 13, 2019

      As D.C. Lau points out in his highly readable introduction to this Penguin Classics edition, it is highly unlikely that Lao Tzu was an acutal person, despite stories of Confucius once going to see him. Instead, the contents of the Tao Te Ching seem to be a distillation and compilation of early Daoist thought. Like the Analects of Confucius, there are passages that are corrupted and whose meaning is either unfathomable or in dispute. There are also certain ideas that are repeated in nearly identical phrases in different parts of this very short work. Compared to the Analects of Confucius, this is a shorter, easier read, but like that work, I’m sure it benefits from reading in multiple translations and from reading more about it—not just of it. Since the Teaching Company doesn’t have a course on this book as they do for the Analects, I’ll just have to rely more on my own first impressions. Daoist philosophy (or Taoist, if you want to use the old spelling—but Daoist is how you pronounce it) is intriguing because it seems to rely on not taking action rather than on actually doing anything. It is full of things such as, “He who speaks doesn’t know.” And “He who knows doesn’t speak.” You’ll be nodding your head at things like that, comparing them to your own life experience. Putting such ideas into practice, however, seems problematic. No wonder some famous Daoists were monks. I’m not sure how following the precepts in this book would work in most people’s lives, unlike, for example, applying a few Buddhist tenets. I’m sure they wouldn’t fly at my house when it’s time to wash the dishes. But I’m trivializing things here. Just trying to wrap your mind around these concepts and spending a while contemplating them is beneficial. We do, for instance, act far more often than we should. How many times can we think of when not doing something would have served us better? But we just felt compelled to act, since that seems to be part of our human nature. Not to mention being easier to explain to your friends if your act goes wrong. I’m still trivializing, I guess. I highly recommend reading this well-done translation and its commentary. There are, for instance, a lot of ebooks available that give you an old translation of this work—which may be a fine translation for all I know—but without some context, you will lose much of the pleasure of reading. People who write books with titles that include “before you die” in them should immediately die themselves before they can write more such books. But if you’re an intelligent person, and if you have a little time to spare and an interest in philosophy, give this a try and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
    • 5/5

      Jan 18, 2019

      Good visuals for contemplation
    • 4/5

      Nov 7, 2018

       I was totally surprised to find out that this is actually a political treatise but less surprised to learn that quiescence is strength.
    • 5/5

      Feb 17, 2018

      Laozi's set of 81 brief chapters sets forth the philosophy of Taoism. The author cautions the reader that words alone cannot faithfully describe his subject, the Tao or the way of the universe, which in our time has led some to dismiss this perspective due to its ambiguity. Enigmas and apparent contradictions appear frequently, which compelled me to pause to contemplate what Laozi was trying to convey. The necessity of pausing and reflecting makes reading this material fulfilling, especially when I felt I moved closer to understanding.

      I found the three jewels of Taoism appealing: Compassion, frugality (also translated as restraint and moderation), and humility (or not seeking to be first). Laozi is also persuasive in advocating selective gradual change rather than confrontation.

      This book is not for the been-there-done-that crowd, who see the ideal life as a experience of episodes of serial consumption. Instead the truths here are intended to be revealed though a combination of experience and contemplation. Some have wisely recommended memorizing some of the chapters, allowing the enigmas and puzzles to remain with us and perhaps to be solved later on with the help of experiential and contextual diversity.

      The edition I read was translated by Thomas H. Miles and his students. It served my purpose well, though at times I would have appreciated some additional commentary to supplement the helpful existing guidance. Miles' translation also has some useful introductory material in which key terms are defined, insofar as that is possible within Taoism. I intend to read other translations to get a better idea of the range of interpretations.
    • 3/5

      Jul 10, 2016

      "People certainly have been confused for a long time."

      The introduction and endnotes went a long way helping me read this. I can see why it takes a lifetime to decipher this.

    Book preview

    Tao Te Ching - Stephen Mitchell

    TO VICKI

    Who can find a good woman?

    She is precious beyond all things.

    Her husband’s heart trusts her completely.

    She is his best reward.

    PROV. 31:10-11

    Contents

    Foreword

    1 The tao that can be told…

    2 When people see some things as beautiful…

    3 If you overesteem great men…

    4 The Tao is like a well…

    5 The Tao doesn't take sides…

    6 The Tao is called the Great Mother…

    7 The Tao is infinite, eternal…

    8 The supreme good is like water…

    9 Fill your bowl to the brim…

    10 Can you coax your mind from its wandering…

    11 We join spokes together in a wheel…

    12 Colors blind the eye…

    13 Success is as dangerous as failure…

    14 Look, and it can't be seen…

    15 The ancient Masters were profound and subtle…

    16 Empty your mind of all thoughts…

    17 When the Master governs, the people…

    18 When the great Tao is forgotten…

    19 Throw away holiness and wisdom…

    20 Stop thinking, and end your problems…

    21 The Master keeps her mind…

    22 If you want to become whole…

    23 Express yourself completely…

    24 He who stands on tiptoe…

    25 There was something formless and perfect…

    26 The heavy is the root of the light…

    27 A good traveler has no fixed plans…

    28 Know the male…

    29 Do you want to improve the world…

    30 Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men…

    31 Weapons are the tools of violence…

    32 The Tao can't be perceived…

    33 Knowing others is intelligence…

    34 The great Tao flows everywhere…

    35 She who is centered in the Tao…

    36 If you want to shrink something…

    37 The Tao never does anything…

    38 The Master doesn't try to be powerful…

    39 In harmony with the Tao…

    40 Return is the movement of the Tao…

    41 When a superior man hears of the Tao…

    42 The Tao gives birth to One…

    43 The gentlest thing in the world…

    44 Fame or integrity: which is more important…

    45 True perfection seems imperfect…

    46 When a country is in harmony with the Tao…

    47 Without opening your door…

    48 In the pursuit of knowledge…

    49 The Master has no mind of her own…

    50 The Master gives himself up…

    51 Every being in the universe…

    52 In the beginning was the Tao…

    53 The great Way is easy…

    54 Whoever is planted in the Tao…

    55 He who is in harmony with the Tao…

    56 Those who know don't talk…

    57 If you want to be a great leader…

    58 If a country is governed with tolerance…

    59 For governing a country well…

    60 Governing a large country…

    61 When a country obtains great power…

    62 The Tao is the center of the universe…

    63 Act without doing…

    64 What is rooted is easy to nourish…

    65 The ancient Masters…

    66 All streams flow to the sea…

    67 Some say that my teaching is nonsense…

    68 The best athlete…

    69 The generals have a saying…

    70 My teachings are easy to understand…

    71 Not-knowing is true knowledge…

    72 When they lose their sense of awe…

    73 The Tao is always at ease…

    74 If you realize that all things change…

    75 When taxes are too high…

    76 Men are born soft and supple…

    77 As it acts in the world, the Tao…

    78 Nothing in the world…

    79 Failure is an opportunity…

    80 If a country is governed wisely…

    81 True words aren't eloquent…

    Notes

    Acknowledgments

    About the Translator

    Books by Stephen Mitchell

    Credits

    Copyright

    About the Publisher

    Foreword

    Tao Te Ching (pronounced, more or less, Dow Deh Jing) can be translated as The Book of the Immanence of the Way or The Book of the Way and of How It Manifests Itself in the World or, simply, The Book of the Way. Since it is already well known by its Chinese title, I have let that stand.

    About Lao-tzu, its author, there is practically nothing to be said. He may have been an older contemporary of Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) and may have held the position of archive-keeper in one of the petty kingdoms of the time. But all the information that has come down to us is highly suspect. Even the meaning of his name is uncertain (the most likely interpretations: the Old Master or, more picturesquely, the Old Boy). Like an Iroquois woodsman, he

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