The Translation of Qur an Metaphors: Procedures and Examples

Metaphor translation is a problematic area since it requires an honest transfer of SL cultural meanings. In fact, it is more so when the metaphors translated are part of a sacred text like the Holy Qur an, where a highly accurate rendition is usually in demand. The main purpose of this paper is to identify and put in order of preference the different translation procedures that would yield appropriate translations of Qur anic metaphors. In order to achieve this purpose, I will define metaphor, review the different procedures that theory presents for its translation, discuss their appropriateness, and relate them to their mother translation approach. Finally, an investigation of the actual procedures used in the translation of Qur anic metaphor will be carried out in order to assess the level of success of each. The importance of the study lies in its theoretical contributions as well as practical applications. It is also hoped that the present study would contribute to the production of a more appropriate translation of the holy message based on the findings of modern linguistics rather than on intuition.