Tao Te Ching; Chp. 80

["Agnieszka Solska" <agnpau1@hotmail.com>]

80K

mach pupbogh Sep; puS nuvpu'Daj.
mIqta' law' lughaj 'ach lulo'qangbe'.
Hegh luqImHa'be'mo' [A] Daq Hop lengbe'.
lupwI' Duj je ghaj 'ach lIghmeH meq ghajbe'.
nuHmey yoD je ghaj 'ach bIH 'aghbe'.
qonmeH SIrgh lubaghlu'pu'bogh neH lo'.

'eymo' Sojchaj chaH yonmoH.
'IHmo' Sutchaj chaH belmoH.
tammo' juHchaj chaH jotmoH.
nItmo' tIghchaj chaH QuchmoH.

Summo' jIl Sep, leghlu'meH ngeD.
'uSghebDaj targhDaj je luQoylu'.
'ach yIn nuvpu', qanchoH 'ej Hegh
'ej not jIl SuchmeH tlheD.


80E

A perfect state is small and its people few.
Having tools in abundance, they're unwilling to use them.
Mindful of death, they do not venture far.
Having wagons and boats, they've no reason to ride in them.
Having weapons and shields, they keep them out of sight.
To keep records all they use is knotted cords.

They relish their food,
Delight in their clothes,
Find peace in their homes,
And joy in their plain way of life.

Though the neighboring country is within sight,
And its roosters and dogs can be heard,
People live, grow old and die
Without ever leaving to visit their neighbors.



[A] {luqImHa'be'mo'} = because they do not disregard death. Perhaps this is 
overkill or a mistake but to me the more straightforward
{Hegh luqImmo'} (= because they concentrate on death) seems to indicate that 
they think only about death.

[B] OK, a {targh} is not a dog, nor is a {'uSgheb} a rooster. Still, we do 
know Klingons keep targs as pets. As for 'uSghebmey, I simply needed a word 
referring to a bird, domesticated or not, which might be living in a 
"neighboring country" and whose voice might carry across the border. Since 
an {'uSgheb} "makes ruckus at dawn", it seemed a good candidate.

'ISqu'

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