#mo tzu

«Ahora, si hay una persona que tras ver un poco de negro dice que es negro, pero si ve una gran negrura dice que es blanco, tenemos que pensar que no sabe la diferencia entre negro y blanco. Si probando algo un poco amargo uno dice que es amargo, pero tras probar algo muy amargo dice que es dulce, tenemos que pensar que no sabe la diferencia entre dulce y amargo. Ahora, cuando se comete algo un poco injusto la gente sabe que debe condenarlo, pero cuando se comete una gran injusticia como atacar a otro estado la gente no sabe que deben condenarlo y, por el contrario, lo aplauden y lo califican de justo. ¿Puede decirse entonces que conocen la diferencia entre lo justo y lo injusto? Por lo tanto, sabemos que los señores del mundo están confundidos respecto de la diferencia entre lo justo y lo injusto.»

Mo Di: La política del amor universal: los textos filosóficos completos del Moísmo (compilador, Manuel Herranz Martín). Universidad de León, págs. 85-86.  León, 2019

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Halloween 2017 – La vendetta del fantasma di Tu Po e il filosofo Mo Tzu

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Okay, I lied.  I may or may not have translated two different passages for you.  To be fair, lets blame the Mohist canon of writing, who includes three different versions of the same passage, saying the same general thing, in three different damn ways.

But still.

Confusing shit, yo.

Wanna know something funny?  Modern translations of the name Mo Tzu / Motse have gone to Mozi.  This has sparked a change from the translated use of the term Mohism to the term Moism.  Or, in a more common use, Mohist to Moist. 

Do you know how much trouble I had in class every time I had to talk about Moist Philosophy?

I think I made about 5-10 puns a day in that class.

Also, Moist is a very dirty word.  Go ahead, say it in a pervy way, you'll see.

Allow me to welcome you and guide you on your journey down the amazing world of  Asian Philosophy!

Today, Chinese Philosophy and picking a good translation!

For this lesson, lets take a look at the writing of Mo Tzu!

First Translation:

"Mo Tzu said:  'It is the business of the benevolent man to try to promote what is beneficial to the world and to eliminate what is harmful.'  Now, at the present time, what brings the greatest harm to the world?"

Second Translation:

"Motse said:  The purpose of the magnanimous is to be found in procuring benefits for the world and eliminating calamities.'  But what are the benefits of the world and what its calamities?"

So, young scholars, which translation is correct?  Which is better?