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The Udana: The Solemn Utterances of the Buddha (Forgotten Books)

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For a book you can get free online via forgottenbooks dot org this isn't bad. Originally published in 1902, this is a translation of his father's translation from the Pali (into German, if I recall correctly) so the original was probably written two turns of centuries ago. It was out of copyright, and scanned in, and when the scanner fails (not often), you can still usually make out what was intended. However when the translator(s) fail, it can result in a total loss of meaning or the potential for getting the wrong meaning. In the latter case there's always that risk in every translation, in the former in this book at least there is some notations that the "whole of this passage is very obscure in the original."

To give a fairly minor example we have a conversation between the Buddha and King Pasenadi who has just visited with a varied assortment of heretics from naked Jains to fire worshipers. Talking to the Buddha afterward the King says (in this version): "There are, Sire, certain of my people going about the country, who may be likened to robbers, for they receive alms without having renounced the world. When these have entered the 'path', I will do likewise.'" Compare this to Thanissaro Bhikku's translation freely available at access to insight dot org "These men, lord, are my spies, my scouts, returning after going out through the countryside. They go out first, and then I go." Big difference in meaning!

The Udana is worth reading as a collection of short tales including the one where the Buddha puts down the heretics arguing the finer points of cosmology by comparing them to blind men trying to describe an elephant after only grasping one of its parts. But you might want to find a more up-to-date version.