Line by Line - Verse 45, Line 7

And eloquence a stammering scream.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Great eloquence seems awkward.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Great eloquence seems inarticulate
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

The most eloquent people
are usually silent.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

I found this comment by John Lash to be both interesting AND illuminating!

Zen poetry seems awkward to the Westerner because the poet uses few words. The meaning of the Zen poem is conveyed by what is not said, and yet it conveys the essence of life more clearly than other types of poetry.

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