Is there a "best" english translation of the Tao Te Ching?

Question

There seems to be many translations of the Tao available and I find it hard to choose one or two from such a large selection. I am interested first in accuracy, then helpfulness of commentary (if any) and finally in readability.

Answer 1

I'd go with the translator of Monkey, Arthur Waley. He was a real scholar and he did poetic, accurate translations, with helpful commentary/footnotes. I think his work deserves more attention than it gets.

Answer 2

It depends upon my mood. When I first read Raymond Blakney's, I thought it was good. Reading it now, I have to remind myself what the words mean, because so many have changed meanings since he did his translation. That said, when I want a quote from the DaoDeJing, that is the translation I use. Either/both of Henricks translations (_ Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching: A Translation of the Startling New Documents Found at Guodian_ and _Lao-tzu Te-Tao Ching_ are useful to demonstrate difficult it is to translate this work. Red Pine's _Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching_ includes some traditional commentary for each chapter. This makes it slightly easier to see the intended meaning, than most other translations. Finally, Crowley's translation is useful, as a practical demonstration of why people who are not fluent in both Archaic, and Classical Chinese should not be allowed to publish their translation.

Answer 3

I find the Stephen Mitchell translation works best for me.