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This is the first time that the Old Testament is being translated from Hebrew into Albanian by
an interconfessional group of translators. There are other Albanian versions, but most of them
have been translated either from Latin or Italian.
But forget translating fragile, ancient scrolls in a remote monastery, waiting for divine
inspiration to strike: "I spend most of my days in front of a computer screen," says Mr
Morava.
"Bible translation doesn't have that romantic [aura] that it had in the 15th Century," says the
translator as he describes the sophisticated software he uses daily.
The invisible translator
Whether working on a business text or a novel, it is often said that a translator of should be
'invisible'. This means that the text that reaches the reader should be practically identical to
the original - a very difficult result to achieve, as languages and cultures often simply do not
translate.
However, the pressure is even higher for a Bible translator: "Knowing that you're translating a
text that is considered holy or God's word, you somehow put a limit to your own work," says
Mr Morava.
"I want [the audience] to find the voice of their God in the text that I'm translating. Therefore
I have to be very careful to consider the theology of the community that's going to read it,
their concerns, their desires, their passions - their God."
This is made slightly easier by working in an interconfessional translation committee, says Mr
Morava. The goal is not to produce a "clinical text", but to represent the three confessions
equally, and to make sure that the translators do not leave their theological imprint on the final
version.
Mr Morava gives an example of how this delicate balance is achieved, citing the concept of
redemption. It is an important aspect of Protestant theology and refers primarily to the event
of the crucifixion, whereas, says Mr Moravia, it does not find a lot of favour among the
Eastern Orthodox Church.
"The Old Testament speaks often of God redeeming Israel from Egypt," says Mr Morava.
"A Protestant translator would prefer to keep this term in order to echo the redeeming act of
God that finds full expression later in history in the story of crucifixion. However, an
Orthodox translator finds this unnecessary and rightly points out that the use of such
terminology in these verses does not make sense for the reader."
According to Mr Morava, a suitable alternative is to translate as 'saving' or 'liberating' the
people of Israel from Egypt.
Why do you think translations of the Bible may have been forbidden in the 1520s?
Why do you think religion may have been banned under Enver Hoxha?
Do you agree that translators should be invisible? Why?
In what ways does context matter when translating (in general, and/or the Bible specifically)?
What specific problems exist when it comes to translating the Bible into Albanian?
What do you think church authorities may be looking for when deciding whether or not to
authorise a Biblical translation?