Translated Poetry

I do my best to try to translate poems that have not been translated before. However, sometimes that may be hard to find well-known but untranslated poetry. My poetry translation style is more content-focused.

For those not familiar, there is a divide between poetry translators. One side content and meaning above all else. On the other side are translators that believe poems should maintain the rhyme.

I stand with the former. I believe that when translating poetry the poet’s meaning is the key. Hence, I focus on accuracy instead of diluting the integral focus of the poem.

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Tao Te Ching
Chapter VI

James Legge

The valley spirit dies not, aye the same;

The female mystery thus do we name.

 Its gate, from which at first they issued forth,    

 Is called the root from which grew Heaven and Earth.

Long and unbroken does its power remain,

Used gently, and without a touch of pain.

---

Stephen Mitchell

The Tao is called the Great Mother:

empty yet inexhaustible,

it gives birth to infinite worlds.

It is always present within you.

You can use it any way you want.