What rhymes with nothing?

June 7, 2009 1:46 PM

Tao Te Ching in rhyming meter?

Years ago at Berkeley, I landed upon a copy of Tao Te Ching written in rhyming meter (!). But I have lost the book, and have no idea as to its author.

Oh Great and Far-reaching Hive Mind, any clues?

[Note: I seem to recall it being in English translated from... German?]

posted by humannaire to religion & philosophy (2 comments total)

The Wilhelm/Baynes translation is from Chinese-->German-->English, but I just broke it out and there's no rhyming meter to be found in it.
posted by shelbaroo at 4:23 PM on June 7

Found this:

"egge’s is the only version that does contain rhymes, crude though they
may be. For instance, in verse 3 of Chapter 1, we have

3. Always without desire we must be found,
If its deep mystery we would sound;"

“Whoever finds it relevant” - translating and retranslating Tao Te Ching in a relevance-theoretic perspective see page 7 of the pdf (239)

Although my memory must be scewed, I don't actually recall that translation rhyming either.
posted by fightoplankton at 6:26 PM on June 7