Tao Te Ching 00

Year after year, I re-read two books: Marcus Aurelius's Meditations and Laozi's Tao Te Ching.

I usually read both of these books in Hungarian, and I have to say, as much as I admire Sándor Weöres as a poet, I am not a fan of his poetic interpretation of the Tao Te Ching. Fortunately, the edition I have contains the raw translation of Ferenc Tőkei as well, and his prose version speaks to me a lot better.

Even with this preference, I'm usually curious what goes on in different translations and interpretations of the same book. Unfortunately, I cannot read the original version in this case, so I have to forgo that for now at least.

I can, however, check some of the English and German translations, and see how they differ. I am curious where the translations place the text in a Western cultural context. As a Hungarian reader, I am used to receiving this religious text as philosophy and/or poetry.

I have to add, so many more translations exist even in Hungarian but I'm going with these two for now. Terebess lists a lot more translations than I have known before.

I know I can get lost in this world for life but for now, these are the editions I will be reading:

• Lao-ce, Tao Te King, translated by Sándor Weöres and Ferenc Tőkei, 1988.
• Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, translated by Stephen Mitchell, 1988.
• Laotse, Tao Te King, translated by Richard Wilhelm, 1911.

I'm looking forward to learn and reflect.