Tao Te Ching...

verse for today (*):

To him who holds in his hands the Great Image
(of the invisible Tao), the whole world repairs.
Men resort to him, and receive no hurt,
but (find) rest, peace, and the feeling of ease.

Music and dainties
will make the passing guest stop (for a time).
But though the Tao as it comes from the mouth,
seems insipid and has no flavour,
though it seems not worth
being looked at or listened to,
the use of it is inexhaustible.

(translation by James Legge, 1891)
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She who is centered in the Tao
can go where she wishes, without danger.
She perceives the universal harmony,
even amid great pain,
because she has found peace in her heart.

Music or the smell of good cooking
may make people stop and enjoy.
But words that point to the Tao
seem monotonous and without flavor.
When you look for it, there is nothing to see.
When you listen for it, there is nothing to hear.
When you use it, it is inexhaustible.

(translation by Stephen Mitchell, 1995)
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Hold the great image
All under heaven will come
They come without harm, in harmonious peace

Music and food, passing travelers stop
The Tao that is spoken out of the mouth
Is bland and without flavor

Look at it, it cannot be seen
Listen to it, it cannot be heard
Use it, it cannot be exhausted

(translation by Derek Lin, 2006)
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Can food be flavorless?
In that discovery is its Nothingness.
In that Nothingness is Bliss.
In that Bliss is Zero.

(translation by Jeremy M. Miller, 2013)
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*) The

Tao Te Ching

is a Chinese classic.
It was written around the 6^th century BC by the sage Lao Tzu.
The short text consists of 81 brief chapters, or verses.
Every day we issue a "verse of the day" for contemplation, at first in two leading English translations (Mitchell and Lin), that nevertheless differ substantially.
Since December 8^th 2013, we had a radically different third translation:

"Nothingness and Zero"
A Post New-Age Approach to Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, published by courtesy of the translator and interpreter.
© Copyright 2013 Jeremy M. Miller. All rights reserved.
Acknowledgments: The hundreds of prior translations, especially that by Arthur Waley.
To Pythagoras, who understood Zero and taught It; and to Chuang Tzu, the ideal poetic student.

On May 31^st 2024, we added the classic James Legge translation from 1891, and put it on top of the other three, in chronological order.

The I Ching is based on the number 2, with its 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 (2⁶) = 64 hexagrams.
The Tao Te Ching is based on the number 3, with its 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 81 chapters.
We now offer it in four translations.
Comparing these four translations can be fascinating.
Perhaps, when reflecting on the four interpretations, the true meaning will emerge.
These 81 verses simply rotate; every day the next number, and after 81, number 1 will appear again.
This is done deliberately; if you want to read the complete text, you should purchase the resp. translations by James Legge, Stephen Mitchell, Derek Lin or Jeremy M. Miller below.
(All four available in Kindle edition as well.)

If you missed yesterday's verse, you can still read it at ICHING.ONLINE, which is always one day behind of I Ching Online.NET.

Tao Te Ching

James Legge