Translating to Inspire: A Case Study of Three English Translations of Labīd's Mu'allaqa

Abstract

The Mu‘allaqa of the poet Labīd is one of the most analyzed poems of the massive pre- modern Arabic corpus in modern times. It comes as no surprise that the poem is also one of the most translated into foreign languages, with its first translation into English tracing back to 1742. Scholars over the centuries, inspired by early Victorian and post-Victorian generations, experimented in their translations with metrical and often rhymed renderings. But above all, a scholarly translation ethos dominated the translation methodology, usage, and goals. This study presents a textual analysis of three English translations of the past 50 years that aimed at rendering the poetry to a general readership rather than aiming solely at a narrow, scholarly audience. It examines the use of four rhetorical devices—assonance, alliteration, rhyme, and repetition—in each translation while also reflecting on diction, syntax, and fidelity to the source text. It concludes with a brief discussion on the differences, whether the respective translators under study were loyal to their projects and who most succeeded in rendering the verses into inspiring English poetry.