QUOTE 41 EXCERPT:
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by ayar415
Please understand that a direct word for word translation is unintelligible because oftentimes there is no equivalent word in English. Moreover, a Chinese character has more than one meaning depending on how it sits within a phrase.
.
.
.
Deep within, yet ever-present
I don't know what gave rise to it
It came before the (image of Emperor)
Words within parenthesis in the last line are a direct translation of the Chinese characters.
|
Although I don't know Chinese with its innumerable characters, I can appreciate the translation difficulties that you addressed in the beginning of your post. (In high school, I used to participate in sight translation contests in NYC with Latin being the language being translated. Translating Latin was difficult enough, but my sense is that translating Latin is a LOT easier than translating Chinese.
)
On this site, we are requested to limit the amount of text that we quote both in posts of members as well as quotes (from the Tao , for example) that we choose. Hence, I am mindful of that when posting. Otherwise, I would have quoted more of what you wrote as well as more from the Tao.
The part of this Tao Chapter that commanded my attention most was the last 3 lines and I can relate quite well to your translation.
The "Deep within, yet ever-present" passage resonated well with me and, from a personal perspective, does seem to be a very powerful meaningful translation.
The "I don't know what gave rise to it" translation seems to be more eastern and probably more in keeping with the Taoist mindset than the translation I have which references the "child". (As we know, Christianity employs such terminology as in the "Father" and the "Son" where the word "child" is appropriately non-gendered as opposed to the masculine "son". Translations can sometimes be tailored to fit the mindset of the audience as in this case.) The "I don't know" translation seems to be very appropriate as "not knowing" is terminology used in Zen (Bodhidharma for example) and other eastern traditions as well as in the Christian classic, "The Cloud of Unknowing".
Your last line "It came before the (image of Emperor)" makes sense from an eastern perspective because, if I recall correctly, the Chinese Emperor was a "Son of Heaven" or , in other words, a "God" to the Chinese population. Hence, I can understand the translation that I have using the word "God" instead of the (image of the emperor) as westerners might not relate well to the (picture of the Emperor).
I love what you have done with the translation and actually prefer your first two lines to my own translation .... and, while I culturally prefer the third line in my translation to yours, I think that your translation is probably more accurate considering the Chinese culture of that day and the Chinese view of their Emperor.
Well done ! Thank you.
