FEEDBACK

For years I’ve felt outrage that Stephen Mitchell would make big money selling his “translations” of sacred texts -- translations from languages he admits to being unable to read. Your admiring article about him eloquently reminded me why [“A Stillness Within Stephen Mitchell,” April 12].

Mitchell is quoted as saying, of his pseudo-translation of the Tao Te Ching, “Not knowing Chinese allowed me to cut through the text.” How convenient for him, not having to actually learn the language of the text he wants to “translate.” It doesn’t seem to occur to Mitchell how ridiculous and supremely arrogant this is. Mitchell has sold more than half a million copies of his non-translation of the Tao Te Ching and gets praised for his spiritual wisdom. The only wisdom I see is financial; I have to give him that much.

“So often,” Mitchell says, “you feel embarrassed for translators.” Those of us who learned the languages we translate from feel embarrassed that Mitchell is using the name of an ancient Chinese text as a cover to sell his half-baked ideas as a “translation.” Mitchell lacks respect for the texts he pretends to translate and for his readers.

Robert Campany

Los Angeles

Campany is a professor of Chinese religions at USC.