Quotes

Common European thought is the fruit of the immense toil of translators. Without translators, Europe would not exist; translators are more important than members of the European Parliament.

Say what we may of the inadequacy of translation, yet the work is and will always be one of the weightiest and worthiest undertakings in the general concerns of the world.

Either the translator leaves the author in peace, as much as is possible, and moves the reader towards him: or he leaves the reader in peace, as much as possible, and moves the author towards him.

Translation is not a matter of words only: it is a matter of making intelligible a whole culture.

As far as modern writing is concerned, it is rarely rewarding to translate it, although it might be easy. Translation is very much like copying paintings.

Poetry is what gets lost in translation. 

The original is unfaithful to the translation. 

Translation is at best an echo. 

Translation is like a woman. If it is beautiful, it is not faithful. If it is faithful, it is most certainly not beautiful. 

What is lost in the good or excellent translation is precisely the best. 

A translation is the translator’s self-portrait.

Where words can be translated into equivalent words, the style of an original can be closely followed; but no translation which aims at being written in normal English can reproduce the style of Aristotle.