Tao Te Ching translated from Finnish to English

Table of Contents

Painting of Laozi
Tao Te Ching was written by Laozi circa 700 BC (pictured). Artwork is CC-BY 4.0 by artist and uploader Noasaurus

This English translation (©) is by Mr. Juho Kunsola and was translated over a time period from 2005 to 2016 using the 1925 Finnish translation by Mr. Pekka Ervast as the sole source. Mr. Ervast did his brilliant Finnish translation based on western sources.

What motivated me to do this work was that the English language versions of this world philosophical gem floating around the Internet seemed a bit dim to me when compared with Mr. Ervast’s translation.

Maximum fidelity to communicate the content unchanged has been my guideline in this work.  If I find time I will iterate over the 81 chapters with help of autotranslators from Chinese, which was not a possibility for Mr. Ervast in the 1920’s when he did his work.

Before I began the translation task I contacted Ruusu-Ristin Kirjallisuusseura ry. to inquire about permission to do this translation work and they said “Ok, go ahead.”, so there should be no problem in publishing this translation as a book if I find a publisher.

#buythebook #ISBN 951-8995-01-X
#buythebook #ostakirja #ISBN 951-8995-01-X

The Finnish translation is available in

Versions available on the Internet

In Chinese / 中文

  1. 老子 by Laozi‘ (PD), released in 2007 on Project Gutenberg
  2. 道德經 by Laozi‘ (PD), released in 2005 on Project Gutenberg

In English

  1. THE TAO TEH KING, OR THE TAO AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS by Lao-Tse‘ (1891)
  2. (Public Domain, Life+100) translated by James Legge, a Scottish sinologist, missionary, and scholar in the 1800’s. This translation was originally published in Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 39 (1891)  Also available on Wikisource. Also available as an audio book read by Eric S. Piotrowski at Project Gutenberg.
  3. Translation:Tao Te Ching‘ by volunteer translators of Wikisource (2006-ongoing). Released under dual licensing: GFDL and CC BY-SA 2.0.
  4. Dao De Jing by Lao Zi – A Minimalist Translation‘ translated by Bruce R. Linnell, PhD (©), released in 2015 at Project Gutenberg.

Français

  1. Tao Te King, traduction de Stanislas Julien‘ (1842)
  2. Le Tao de Laotseu (Traduction de Pouvoirville)‘ (1894)
  3. Le Livre de la Voie et de la Ligne-droite‘ (1900) translation from Chinese by Alexandre Ular.
  4. Lao-tseu traduit par Jules Besse‘ (1909).
  5. Œuvre de Lao-tseu‘ (1913) translation by Léon Wieger.
  6.  ‘Tao Te King par Lao-tseu‘ Audiolivre complet en français dans Wikimedia Commons. Text version not known as of now. Recorded and CC BY-SA-3.0 licensed in 2007 by Augustin Brunault for LitteratureAudio.com.

The Book of the Way of Virtue

Known by the names

Dàodéjīng (Pinyin romanization)

Tao Te King (Wade-Giles romanization)

道德经– (中文 / Chinese)

Tao Te Ching (Wikipedia)

Written by Laozi circa 700 BC

Chapter 1. Definition of Tao

[table id=tao1 /]

Yin and Yang symbol
The Ying and Yang symbol is ineligible for copyright so it was correctly placed under public domain by maker of this copy (Commons:User:Klem). These actually exist in the nature. You just need to pay close attention, know where to look for and get really lucky.

Chapter 2. Becoming perfect

[table id=tao2 /]


Chapter 3. Calming people

[table id=tao3 /]


Chapter 4. Innocent

[table id=tao4 /]


Chapter 5. The value of emptiness

[table id=tao5 /]


Chapter 6. The origin of beings

[table id=tao6 /]


Chapter 7. Concealing light

[table id=tao7 /]


Chapter 8. The inexpensive nature

[table id=tao8 /]


Chapter 9. Building equality

[table id=tao9 /]


Chapter 10. What is possible

[table id=10 /]


Chapter 11. Usefulness of emptiness

[table id=11 /]


Chapter 12. Closing doors

[table id=12 /]


Chapter 13. Stopping from falling to low places

[table id=13 /]


Chapter 14. Praising emptiness

[table id=14 /]


Chapter 15. Portraying virtue

[table id=15 /]


Chapter 16. Going home

[table id=16 /]


Chapter 17. Being natural

[table id=17 /]


Chapter 18. Mending

[table id=18 /]


Chapter 19. Returning to nature

[table id=19 /]


Chapter 20. Remaining distant

[table id=20 /]


Chapter 21. Empty spring

[table id=21 /]


Chapter 22. Lifting the little ones

[table id=22 /]


Chapter 23. Not joining

[table id=23 /]


Chapter 24. The honor that is not desirable

[table id=24 /]


Chapter 25. Grasping emptyness

[table id=25 /]


Chapter 26. Virtue of worthyness

[table id=26 /]


Chapter 27. Utility of skillfulness

[table id=27 /]


Chapter 28. Becoming a child

[table id=28 /]


Chapter 29. Inactioning

[table id=29 /]


Chapter 30. Removing self from battle

[table id=30 /]


Chapter 31. Ending war

[table id=31 /]


Chapter 32. Rational virtue

[table id=32 /]


Chapter 33. Distinguishing virtue

[table id=33 /]


Chapter 34. The perfect state

[table id=34 /]


Chapter 35. The virtue of benevolence

[table id=35 /]


Chapter 36. Concealed concent

[table id=31 /]


Chapter 37. Of governance

[table id=37 /]


Chapter 38. Of virtue

[table id=38 /]


Chapter 39. At the source of the spring

[table id=39 /]


Chapter 40. Declining work

[table id=40 /]


Chapter 41. The similar and the different

[table id=41 /]


Chapter 42. Changes in Tao

[table id=42 /]


Chapter 43. Unlimited utility

[table id=43 /]


Chapter 44. Staying silent

[table id=44 /]


Chapter 45. Boundless virtue

[table id=45 /]


Chapter 46. Limiting lust

[table id=46 /]


Chapter 47. Looking far

[table id=47 /]


Chapter 48. The trouble with knowledge

[table id=48 /]


Chapter 49. The virtue of concession

[table id=49 /]


Chapter 50. Life’s value

[table id=50 /]


Chapter 51. Recommending virtue

[table id=51 /]


Chapter 52. Returning to origin cause

[table id=52 /]


Chapter 53. Growing of clarity

[table id=53 /]


Chapter 54. The root and the branches

[table id=54 /]


Chapter 55. Marvelous harmony

[table id=55 /]


Chapter 56. Wondrous virtue

[table id=56 /]


Chapter 57. Right government

[table id=57 /]


Chapter 58. To allow others to heal themselves

[table id=58 /]


Chapter 59. Protecting Tao

[table id=59 /]


Chapter 60. Filling the throne

[table id=60 /]


Chapter 61. Virtue of humbleness

[table id=61 /]


Chapter 62. The practical Tao

[table id=62 /]


Chapter 63. Looking ahead

[table id=63 /]


Chapter 64. Caring for the lowly ones

[table id=64 /]


Chapter 65.  The simple virtue

[table id=65 /]


Chapter 66. Placing yourself last

[table id=66 /]


Chapter 67. Three precious things

[table id=67 /]


Chapter 68. Imitating the heaven

[table id=68 /]


Chapter 69. Using the highly virtue

[table id=69 /]


Chapter 70. The difficulty of becoming known

[table id=70 /]


Chapter 71. The disease of ignorance

[table id=71 /]


Chapter 72. Loving yourself

[table id=72 /]


Chapter 73. Freedom of action

[table id=73 /]


Chapter 74. The mistake of governance

[table id=74 /]


Chapter 75. The evil of greed

[table id=75 /]


Chapter 76. The danger of power

[table id=76 /]


Chapter 77. The Heavenly Tao

[table id=77 /]


Chapter 78. Embracing the truth

[table id=78 /]


Chapter 79. Keeping promise

[table id=79 /]


Chapter 80. Standing alone

[table id=80 /]


Chapter 81. Proof of simplicity

[table id=81 /]

End of the Book of the Way of Virtue

Yin Yang taijitu (symbol)
Yin Yang Taijitu. 太極圖 – Diagram of the Ultimate Power. Uploaded by Klem. Copyright: PD-ancient.

English translations as individual chapters posted one-by-one as blog posts. Please be aware that I made minor error corrections and improvements when I posted these in side-by-side view on this page that have not been made to these individual posts:

  1. Chapter 1. Definition of Tao
  2. Chapter 2. Becoming perfect
  3. Chapter 3. Calming people
  4. Chapter 4. Innocent
  5. Chapter 5. The value of emptiness
  6. Chapter 6. The origin of beings
  7. Chapter 7. Concealing light
  8. Chapter 8. The inexpensive nature
  9. Chapter 9. Building equality
  10. Chapter 10. What is possible
  11. Chapter 11. Usefulness of emptiness
  12. Chapter 12. Closing doors
  13. Chapter 13. Stopping from falling to low places
  14. Chapter 14. Praising emptiness
  15. Chapter 15. Portraying virtue
  16. Chapter 16. Going home
  17. Chapter 17. Being natural
  18. Chapter 18. Mending
  19. Chapter 19. Returning to nature
  20. Chapter 20. Remaining distant
  21. Chapter 21. Empty spring
  22. Chapter 22. Lifting the little ones
  23. Chapter 23. Not joining
  24. Chapter 24. The honor that is not desirable
  25. Chapter 25. Grasping emptyness
  26. Chapter 26. Virtue of worthyness
  27. Chapter 27. Utility of skillfulness
  28. Chapter 28. Becoming a child
  29. Chapter 29. Idleness
  30. Chapter 30. Removing self from battle
  31. Chapter 31. Ending war
  32. Chapter 32. Rational virtue
  33. Chapter 33. Distinguishing virtue
  34. Chapter 34. The perfect state
  35. Chapter 35. The virtue of benevolence
  36. Chapter 36. Concealed concent
  37. Chapter 37. Of governance
  38. Chapter 38. Of virtue
  39. Chapter 39. At the source of the spring
  40. Chapter 40. Declining work
  41. Chapter 41. The similar and the different
  42. Chapter 42. Changes in Tao
  43. Chapter 43. Unlimited utility
  44. Chapter 44. Staying silent
  45. Chapter 45. Boundless virtue
  46. Chapter 46. Limiting lust
  47. Chapter 47. Looking far
  48. Chapter 48. The trouble with knowledge
  49. Chapter 49. The virtue of concession
  50. Chapter 50. Life’s value
  51. Chapter 51. Recommending virtue
  52. Chapter 52. Returning to origin cause
  53. Chapter 53. Growing of clarity
  54. Chapter 54. The root and the branches
  55. Chapter 55. Marvelous harmony
  56. Chapter 56. Wondrous virtue
  57. Chapter 57. Right government
  58. Chapter 58. To allow others to heal themselves
  59. Chapter 59. Protecting Tao
  60. Chapter 60. Filling the throne
  61. Chapter 61. Virtue of humbleness
  62. Chapter 62. The practical Tao
  63. Chapter 63. Looking ahead
  64. Chapter 64. Caring for the lowly ones
  65. Chapter 65.  The simple virtue
  66. Chapter 66. Placing yourself last
  67. Chapter 67. Three precious things
  68. Chapter 68. Imitating the heaven
  69. Chapter 69. Using the highly virtue
  70. Chapter 70. The difficulty of becoming known
  71. Chapter 71. The disease of ignorance
  72. Chapter 72. Loving yourself
  73. Chapter 73. Freedom of action
  74. Chapter 74. The mistake of governance
  75. Chapter 75. The evil of greed
  76. Chapter 76. The danger of power
  77. Chapter 77. The Heavenly Tao
  78. Chapter 78. Embracing the truth
  79. Chapter 79. Keeping promise
  80. Chapter 80. Standing alone
  81. Chapter 81. Proof of simplicity

Finnish original at Wikisource under copyleft license CC-BY-SA 3.0

  1. Taon määritys
  2. Täydelliseksi tuleminen
  3. Ihmisten tyynnyttäminen
  4. Syytön
  5. Tyhjyyden arvo
  6. Olioiden alku
  7. Valon salaaminen
  8. Huokea luonto
  9. Yhdenvertaisuuden rakentamista
  10. Mikä on mahdollista
  11. Tyhjyyden hyöty
  12. Ovien sulkeminen
  13. Lankeemisen estäminen
  14. Tyhjyyden ylistäminen
  15. Hyveen esittäminen
  16. Kotiinmeno
  17. Luonnollisena oleminen
  18. Paikkaamista
  19. Luontoon palaaminen
  20. Etäällä pysyttäytyminen
  21. Tyhjä lähde
  22. Pienten nostaminen
  23. Yhtymättömyys
  24. Kunnia, joka ei ole toivottava
  25. Tyhjyyden käsittäminen
  26. Arvokkaisuuden hyve
  27. Taitavuuden hyöty
  28. Lapseksi tuleminen
  29. Toimettomuus
  30. Taistelusta väistyminen
  31. Sodan lopettaminen
  32. Järkevä hyve
  33. Hyveen eroittaminen
  34. Täydellinen tila
  35. Hyvyyden hyve
  36. Salattu suostumus
  37. Hallitustaito
  38. Hyveestä
  39. Lähteen perillä
  40. Työstä kieltäytyminen
  41. Samanlainen ja erilainen
  42. Taon muutokset
  43. Rajaton hyödyllisyys
  44. Hiljaa pysyminen
  45. Rajaton hyve
  46. Himon hillintä
  47. Kauaksi katsominen
  48. Tiedon vaiva
  49. Myönnytyksen hyve
  50. Elämän arvo
  51. Hyveen suosittelemista
  52. Palaaminen alkusyyhyn
  53. Selvyyden kasvaminen
  54. Juuri ja oksat
  55. Ihmeellinen sopusointu
  56. Ihmeellinen hyve
  57. Oikea hallitus
  58. Sallia toisten parantaa itsensä
  59. Taon varjeleminen
  60. Valtaistuimen täyttäminen
  61. Nöyryyden hyve
  62. Käytännöllinen Tao
  63. Eteensä katsominen
  64. Huolenpito vähäisistä
  65. Yksinkertainen hyve
  66. Itsensä viimeiseksi asettaminen
  67. Kolme kallista asiaa
  68. Taivaan jäljitteleminen
  69. Ylhäisen hyveen käyttö
  70. Vaikeus tulla tunnetuksi
  71. Tietämättömyyden tauti
  72. Itsensä rakastaminen
  73. Toiminnan vapaus
  74. Hallitsemisen virhe
  75. Ahneuden paha
  76. Voiman vaara
  77. Taivaallinen Tao
  78. Totuuden omaksuminen
  79. Lupauksen pitäminen
  80. Yksinään seisominen
  81. Yksinkertaisuuden todistus

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