Tao Te Ching 2022

by Stephen Mitchell

Tao Te Ching

Genres: Eastern Philosophy, Audiobook, Nonfiction

300 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2022

About the author

Stephen Mitchell was educated at Amherst College, the Sorbonne, and Yale University, and de-educated through intensive Zen practice. He is widely known for his ability to make old classics thrillingly new, to step in where many have tried before and to create versions that are definitive for our time. His many books include The Gospel According to Jesus, The Second Book of the Tao, two books of fiction, and a book of poetry.

Mitchell’s Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke has been called “the most beautiful group of poetic translations [the twentieth] century has produced.” William Arrowsmith said that his Sonnets to Orpheus “instantly makes every other rendering obsolete.” His Book of Job has been called “magnificent.” His bestselling Tao Te Ching, Bhagavad Gita, and Gilgamesh—which are not translations from the original text, but rather poetic interpretations that use existing translations into Western languages as their starting point—have also been highly praised by critics, scholars, and common readers. Gilgamesh was Editor’s Choice of The New York Times Book Review, was selected as the Book Sense 2004 Highlight for Poetry, was a finalist for the first annual Quill Award in poetry. His translation of the Iliad was chosen as one of the New Yorker’s favorite books of 2011. He is a two-time winner of the Harold Morton Landon Translation Award from the Academy of American Poets.

His books for young readers include The Wishing Bone, winner of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award as the best book of poetry for children published in the United States in 2003, and Jesus: What He Really Said and Did, which was chosen by the American Library Association’s Booklist as one of the top ten religious books for children in 2002.

He is also coauthor of two of his wife Byron Katie’s bestselling books: Loving What Is and A Thousand Names for Joy. www.thework.com

You can read extensive excerpts from all his books on his website, www.stephenmitchellbooks.com.

Reviews

[Bloodorange]

The text is modernised, but I don't find it in any way jarring, quite the opposite; what makes me less than a fan is that I am most definitely an Abrahamic culture person, and find it hard to engage with a plotless religious text.

[Hoang Luong]

“Those who know don’t talk
Those who talk don’t know”

...

“The master does nothing
Yet he leaves nothing undone
The ordinary man is always doing things,
Yet many more are left to be done”

***
Probably the best translated version in English.

"Tao Te Ching" is definitely worth re-reading every single year. Each time it reminds me of something important, gives me something to think about, but most importantly, it reassures me with its simplification and wisdom, in this chaotic fast-changing world.

[Tracy]

I can honestly say I would not have read this if not for a bookseller swap game where we chose books for each other that we knew they’d never pick up. (I chose Margo’s Got Money Troubles for a guy who maybe only reads fiction by men. He loved it!) I’m glad I read this, though I didn’t get 80% of it. Maybe I’ve emptied my mind like the Master teaches???

[Aziyade]

If you are looking for a strictly academic or philological translation, you might prefer Red Pine or D.C. Lau. However, if you want a book that breathes, one that you can open to any page and find a nugget of wisdom that feels like a cool glass of water for a parched mind, Stephen Mitchell’s version is unmatched.
​It is a masterpiece of minimalist poetry that manages to be both profoundly mystical and intensely practical. It doesn’t just explain the Tao; it invites you to experience it.

[Shad Aijalon]

>defining the tao
>In the year of our Lord 2026
I Shiggy diggy

[Sally Louise]

“Do you have the patience to wait until the mud settles
And the water is clear?”

[Michelle Parker]

Of all the religious and philosophical texts I’ve come across, the Tao Te Ching really speaks to me the most. I’m not a religious Taoist, but I do try to bring Taoist ideas into my everyday life. For me, it boils down to three key things: simplicity, patience, and compassion. Taoism emphasizes being genuine, living long and healthy, embracing vitality, going with the flow (wu wei), letting go, staying refined yet spontaneous, and embracing change and endless potential.

[Damian]

I picked up Tao Te Ching mostly because I wanted to see where it would take my thinking. I’m always willing to wander down another intellectual rabbit hole, and this one definitely gave me plenty to think about.

I enjoyed the ideas about simplicity, letting go of unnecessary desire, humility, and not forcing things when sometimes the better move is to step back and let them unfold. (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) I can see how someone could take these ideas and really change the way they approach their everyday life.

Was it a book I absolutely fell in love with? Not quite. I don’t think I’ll be rushing out to buy a permanent copy for my shelf, so for now, this one can stay in the borrowed pile.

But I’m glad I read it. Sometimes a book doesn’t have to become a favorite to be worthwhile. This one gave me a different way of looking at life, and that’s exactly what I was hoping to find when I picked it up.

[d k]

I read the Tao Te Ching like a systems manual, not a spiritual text.

It’s short, quiet, and annoyingly accurate. The throughline: stop forcing outcomes. Lead without dominating. Build systems that don’t require constant correction. “Wu wei” isn’t doing nothing—it’s doing the right amount, at the right time, without adding ego and friction.

This isn’t a book you power through. You revisit it. Different lines hit depending on what you’re carrying. If you want hype or certainty, this will irritate you. If you want leverage, restraint, and cleaner leadership, it’s worth it.

[Salvador Nava]

que paz!! increíble cuantas de las prácticas de wellness de hoy en día derivan de conocimientos milenarios escritos por un autor chino desconocido !!

versión súper accesible para quien le lee por primera vez. se siente como una meditación y poema al mismo tiempo. recomiendo chiquitearlo

[Molly]

I think I would like this more if every phrase or stanza ended in an exclamation mark

75: Act for the people’s benefit!
Trust them; leave them alone !!

16: Watch the turmoil of beings!
Contemplate their return !!

Also RIP Mary Oliver, you woulda loved Lao Tzu 💘

[Vilma]

Required reading for spiritual seekers and those inclined to lead a good life.

[Corinne Jachelski]

Loved this translation and the notes at the back. Look forward to reading again and again

[Prasath T]

Amazing and Simplest Translation ever....

[Tim Bryan]

Tough to rate a religious (?) text but this is a great read. I love the compactness and simplicity of the teachings. Definitely will revisit this in the future.

[Jennifer]

Truly enjoyed this and will read it again, many times over.

[Bela]

Simple, appealing and beautiful.

[Teddy]

Brilliant. Love this version.

[Gil]

An absolute must read for anyone seeking serenity in their lives. Tao Te Ching is a philosophical journey that will move you away from the noise of the world into a place of inner peace and calm.

[Aayush]

One page per day only. Don't rush it

[Ryan Young]

“when the country falls into chaos, patriotism is born”

[David Klingenberger]

I don’t think it’s due to what seems a gorgeous translation—although that can’t hurt—but maybe it’s just time for this book to make sense to me (minus all the leader stuff.)