Kahlil Gibran Collective

Translations for The Prophet now stands at 112

20 Jan 2020

By The Kahlil Gibran Collective,

all rights reserved © The Kahlil Gibran Collective 2020

In April 2017, during the third international conference on Kahlil Gibran held at the Lebanese American University in Beirut, Kahlil Gibran scholars Francesco Medici and Glen Kalem-Habib shared their findings on the official number of first edition language translations of The Prophet. The number they registered in the year-long study was 104 titles. This study has been an ongoing one, and sure enough just over a year later they further announced another four more translations which Medici presented at the 5th International Kahlil Gibran Conference in Paris, in April 2019. 

Since this time another four more translations have been added to the list, which brings the total to a new record of 112 translations, further cementing The Prophet as one of the most translated books in history, possibly the 'most' in the poetry genre. In April 2019, Maya El Hajj published her paper based on Medici and Kalem's findings “Aporias in Literary Translation: A Case Study of The Prophet and Its Translations”. Her study further found that The Prophet has hardly ever ceased to be translated worldwide during the last century, mainly in Europe and Asia. 

Graph from: Maya El Hajj, “Aporias in Literary Translation: A Case Study of The Prophet and Its Translations,” Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Vol. 9, No. 4, April 2019, pp. 396-404.

 

 New translations added include: Sanskrit and Interlingua. 

New Translation of The Prophet - Book Covers: Left Top : Interlingua (international auxiliary language, ) Right Top: Sanskrit. Bottom Left:  Francesco Medici Presenting at the Institute Du Monde de Arabe Paris 2019. Various international covers of The Prophet

 

General List of The Prophet’s Translations (alphabetical order by language)

 

  1. Afrikaans: Die profeet, trans. Louis Fourie, Pretoria (South Africa): J.L. Van Schaik, 1955.
  2. Albanian: Profeti, trans. Maksim Rakipaj, Tirana (Albania): Botimet Toena, 2003. 
  3. Alsatian: De Prophet, trans. Atelier de Promotion de l’Alsacien, ed. Fouad Alzouheir, Zinswiller (France): APECM (Association pour l’éducation et les cultures multilingues), 2013.
  4. Amharic: YeTibeb Meniged (Nebiyu), trans. Demelash Tiulahun, Tesfahun Mitiku, Habitamu Tesfaye, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia): Commercial Publishing Enterprise, 2011.
  5. Arabic (Egypt): al-Nabī, trans. Anṭūniyūs Bashīr, Cairo (Egypt): al-Maṭbaʻah al-Raḥmānīyah bi-Miṣr, 1926.
  6. Arabic (England): al-Nabī, trans. Jamīl al-‘Ābid, London (England): Elan Publications, 2016. 
  7. Arabic (Lebanon): al-Nabī, trans. Mīkhā’īl Nu‘aymah (Mikhail Naimy), Beirut (Lebanon): Mu’assasat Nawfal, 1956.
  8. Armenian (Eastern): Margarēn, trans. Hovik Yordekian, Yerevan (Armenia): Lebanese Embassy of Armenia, 2008. 
  9. Armenian (Western): Margarēn, trans. Vahe-Vahian (Sarkis Abdalian), Antelias (Lebanon): Tparan Katoġikosowtean Hayoc Meçi Tann Kilikioy, 1983.
  10. Assamese: Propheṭa, trans. Jyotiprasād Śaikīẏā, Guwahati (India): Natuna Asama, 1994.
  11. Azerbaijani: Peyğəmbər, trans. S. Bulut, Baku (Azerbaijan): Qanun, 2014.
  12. Bahsa Acèh [Acehnese]: al-Nabī(translator, place and year of publication, publisher unknown).
  13. Basque: Profeta, trans. Patxi Ezkiaga, Arantzazu (Spain, Basque Country): Oñati, 2008.
  14. Bengali [Bangla] (Bangladesh): The Prophet, trans. Chowdury Mushtaq Ahmed, Dhaka (Bangladesh): Ahmed Mahmudul Haque of Mowla Brothers, 2009.
  15. Bengali [Bangla] (India): Dya prapheṭa, trans. Ajita Miśra, Midnapore (India, West Bengal): Amrtaloka Sāhitya Parishada, 1993.
  16. Berber: Amusnaw, trans. Youcef Allioui, Paris (France): L’Harmattan. 2014.
  17. Bikol: An Profeta, trans. Bernie Faustine D. Brijueg, ed.  Wilmer Joseph S. Tria, Naga City (Philippines, Bicol Region): Ina Nin Bikol Foundation, 2013.
  18. Bulgarian: Prorokŭt, trans. Maya Tzenova, Sofia (Bulgaria): Kibea, 1997.
  19. Catalan (Spain): El profeta, trans. Maria de Quadras, Barcelona (Spain, Catalonia): Altés, 1974.
  20. Cebuan: Ang Propeta, trans. Jesus “Sonny” Garcia, Jr., Cebu City (Philippines, Central Visayas): Sun Star Pub, 
  21. Chinese (Mandarin): Xianzhi, trans. Xie Bingxin, Shanghai (People’s Republic of China): Xinyue Shudian, 1931.
  22. Croatian: Prorok, trans. Marko Grcic, Zagreb (Croatia): GZH, 1985.
  23. Czech: Prorok, trans. Oldřich Hlaváč, Prague (Czechia): Prota-Ludvík Souček, 1932.
  24. Danish: Profeten, trans. Per Thorrell, Copenhagen (Denmark): Lindhardt og Ringhof, 1987.
  25. Dutch: De Profeet, trans. Liesbeth Valckenier-Suringar, The Hague (Netherlands, South Holland): Servire, 1927.
  26. English (Braille): The Prophet, Washington, D.C. (USA): Division for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 1951.
  27. Esperanto (artificial language): La Profeto, trans. Roan Orloff-Stone, ed. Elías F. Shamon, [San Cristóbal de] La Laguna (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain): Eldonejo Stafeto-Juan Régulo Pérez, 1962. 
  28. Estonian: Prohvet, trans. Doris Kareva, Tallinn (Estonia): Huma, 1997.
  29. Faroese: Profeturin, trans. Hans J. Glerfoss, Tórshavn (Faroe Islands, Denmark): Marna, 1986.
  30. Filipino: Ang Propeta, trans. Felicidad Sagalongos-San Luis,(Philippines): Vertex, 1975.
  31. Finnish: Profeetta, trans. Annikki Setälä, Hämeenlinna (Finland): Karisto, 1968.
  32. French (Andorra): Le Prophète, trans. unknown, Andorra la Vella (Andorra): AnimaViva Multilingüe, 
  33. French (Belgium): Le Prophète, trans. Marcel Lobet, Brussels (Belgium): Édition universelle, 1943.
  34. French (Canada): Le Prophète, trans. Paul Kinnet, Boucherville [Quebec, Canada]: Éditions de Mortagne, 1983.
  35. French (France): Le prophète, trans. Madeline Mason-Manheim, Paris (France): Éditions du Sagittaire, 1926.
  36. French (Switzerland): Le prophète, trans. Michaël La Chance, Geneva (Switzerland): Éditions Idégraf, 1985.
  37. Galician (Spain): El profeta(y El jardín del profeta), trans. Ghaleb Jaber Ibrahim, Santiago de Compostela (Spain): Fundación Araguaney-Teófilo Edicións, 2018.
  38. German (Austria): Der Prophet, trans. Karin Graf, Vienna (Austria): Buchgemeinschaft Donauland, 1987.
  39. German (Germany): Der Prophet, trans. Georg-Eduard Freiherr von Stietencron, Munich (Germany): Hyperion, 1925.
  40. German (Switzerland): Der Prophet, trans. Ursula Assaf-Nowak, Olten (Switzerland): Walter, 1984.
  41. Greek: O Profetes, trans. Giannis Papadakis, Athens (Greece): C. Stavrakakis, 1960.
  42. Gujarati: Viday Velakhe, trans. Kishore Mashruwala, Ahmedabad (Gujarat, India): Navjivan Prakashan Mandir, 2013.
  43. Hebrew: ha-Navi, trans. Noʻah Zalud, Tel Aviv (Israel): Hotsaʼat Tamuz, 1975.
  44. Hindi: Paigambar, trans. Nilima Singh, New Delhi (India): Hind Pocket Books, 2009.
  45. Hungarian: A próféta, trans. Révbíró Tamás, Budapest (Hungary): Édesvíz, 1992.
  46. Icelandic: Spámaðurinn, trans. Gunnar Dal, Reykjavík (Iceland): Almenna bókafélagið, 1958.
  47. Indonesian: An Nabi, trans. Bahrum Rangkuti, ed. I. Annaury, Jakarta (Indonesia): Pembangunan Opbouw, 
  48. Interlingua (international auxiliary language): Le Propheta, trans. Martin Lavallée, Morrisville, NC (USA): Lulu.com, 2019.
  49. Isi Xhosa (Xhosa): Umprofethi, trans. Koliswa Moropa,Z. Mtumane, Plettenberg Bay (South Africa): Pooka, 2007.
  50. Italian: Il profeta, trans. Eirene Niosi-Risos, ed. Augusto Mancini, Lanciano (Chieti, Italy): Gino Carabba, 1936.
  51. Japanese: Purofeeto(Yogensha), trans. Kobayashi Kaoru, Tokyo (Japan): Goma Shobo, 1972.
  52. Kabyle (Algeria): Nnbi, trans. Farid Abac, Algiers (Algeria): Laphomic, 1991.
  53. Kannada (India): Pravādi, trans. Dēsāyi Dattamūrti, Hubli (India): Ānanda Granthamālā, 1953.
  54. Korean: Sŏnjija, trans. Han Il-san,Seoul (South Korea): Han’guk Kidokkyo Munhwawŏn, 
  55. Kotava (international auxiliary language): Katcilik, trans. Staren Fetcey, place of publication unknown: Kotavaxak dem Suterot, 2015.
  56. Kurdish: Peyamber, trans. Husein Muhammed, Stockholm (Sweden): Helwest, 2001.
  57. Latvian: Pravietis, trans. Ingridas Vīksnas, Toronto (Canada): Greenwood Printers, 1975.
  58. Lithuanian: Pranašas, trans. Zigmas Ardickas, Vilnius (Lithuania): Asveja. 1998.
  59. Lombard (Italy): El Profeta, trans. Marc Tamburell (Marco Tamburelli), Monza (Italy): Menaresta, 2015.
  60. Macedonian: Prorokot, trans. G. Petreski, ed. K. Fidanovski, Skopje (North Macedonia): Kultura, 1993.
  61. Malay (Indonesia): Sang Nabi, trans. Iwan Nurdaya Djafar, Jakarta (Indonesia): Pustaka Jaya, 1981.
  62. Malayalam (India): Pravācakan, trans.  Akkanatt, Kochi (India): Janatā Buksṭāl, 1983.
  63. Maltese: Il-profeta, trans. Victor Fenech, Sta Venera (Malta): Klabb Kotba Maltin, 2008.
  64. Marathi (India): Da Prophet(Paigambar), trans. J.K. Jadhav, Aurangabad (India): Saket, 2009.
  65. Nepali: Guru, trans. Netra Ācārya & Pushpa Ācārya, Kathmandu (Nepal): Ṭrānsa Riprinṭa, 2005.
  66. Northern Sotho (South Africa): Moprofeta, trans. Maje S Serudu, Johannesburg (South Africa): Ad Donker, 1983.
  67. Norwegian (Bokmål): Profeten, trans. Helge Hagerup, Oslo (Norway): Gyldendal, 1967.
  68. Norwegian (Nynorsk): Profeten, trans. Sondre Bratland, Oslo (Norway): Kolofon, 2017.
  69. Occitan (Provençal dialect): Alora una frema…,  Joan-Glaudi Babois & Reinat Toscano, Oc: gazeta d’accion occitana de novelas literarias e artisticas, Institut d’estudis occitans, Toulouse (France), No 51, April 1999.
  70. Papiamento (Curaçao): E Profeta, trans. Hilda de Windt-Ayoubi, ed. Suheil Bushrui, Bethesda (Maryland, USA): University Press of Maryland, 2013.
  71. Pashto: Haghạh wuwel[He said], trans. ʻAzīz al-Raḥmān Sayfī, Kabul (Afghanistan): Da Paṣhto Ṭolane da Kābul Mujille liʼkhwā, 1957 (1336). 
  72. Persian (Iran): Payāmbar, trans. Mostafa Alam,Tehran (Iran): Taban, 1962 (1341).
  73. Polish: Prorok, trans. Wandy Dynowskiej, Beirut (Lebanon): Cedr i Orzel, 1954.
  74. Portuguese (Brazil): O Profeta, trans. Mansour Yousef Challita,Rio de Janeiro (Brazil): Biblioteca Universal Popular, 1963. 
  75. Portuguese (Portugal): O profeta, trans. Manuel Simões, Braga (Portugal): Editorial A.O., 1978.
  76. Punjabi: Paighambar, trans. Guninder Singh, Patiala (India, Punjab): Punjabi University, 1999.
  77. Romani: A próféta/O platniko, trans. Zoltán Vesho-Farkas, Vesho műfordítások, Budapest (Hungary): Budapesti Montessori Társaság, 2000.
  78. Romanian: Profetul, trans. Radu Cârneci, Bucarest (Romania): Orion, 1991.
  79. Romansh (Switzerland): II profet, trans. Felix Giger, Litteratura, 10/1 (1987), pp. 106-110; Litteratura, 11/1 (1988), pp. 67-71 (excerpts).
  80. Russian: Prorok, trans. Igor Alekseyevich Zotikov, ed. I. Zotikova, Moscow (Russia): Raduga, 1989.
  81. Sanskrit (India): Usne Kaha[Thus Spoke He], trans. unknown, Uttar Pradesh (India): Bharatiy Akhil Sangh Seva, 1957.
  82. Serbian: Prorok, trans. Dragoslav Andric, Belgrade (Serbia): D. Andrić, 1995.
  83. Sesotho (Southern Sotho [South Africa]): Moprofeta, trans. Moruti W. Tšiu, ed. N.B. Sekere, Plettenberg Bay (South Africa): Pooka, 2007.
  84. Setswana (Tswana [South Africa]): Moporofeti, trans. Phaladi M. Sebate,M.R. Malope, Plettenberg Bay (South Africa): Pooka, 2007. 
  85. Sinhala: Divasiya, trans. Wimalasena Vithanapathirana, Colombo (Sri Lanka): Godage, 2004.
  86. Slovak: Prorok, trans. Eduard V. Tvarozek, Bratislava (Slovakia): Tatran, 1971. 
  87. Slovenian: Prerok, trans. Lojze Bratina, Ljubljana-Maribor (Slovenia): Župnijski urad sv. Magdalene, 1978.
  88. Spanish (Argentina): El Profeta, trans. José E. Guraieb,Buenos Aires (Argentina): J. Rosso, 1933.
  89. Spanish (Chile): El profeta, trans. Moises Mussa B., Santiago (Chile): Nascimento, 1932.
  90. Spanish (Colombia): El profeta, trans. Antonio Chalita Sfair, Ibagué (Colombia): Editorial Tolima, 195-?.
  91. Spanish (Mexico): El Profeta, trans. Leonardo Shafik Kaim, Mexico City (Mexico): Imprenta Mundial, 1934.
  92. Spanish (Peru): El profeta, trans. Carlos Alberto Seguín, ed. Max Silva Tuesta, Lima (Peru): Tall. Gráf. P.L. Villanueva, 1967.
  93. Spanish (Spain): El profeta, trans. Halet Soleiman Bahadur, Madrid (Spain): Felmar, 1980.
  94. Spanish (Uruguay): El profeta, trans. unknown, Montevideo (Uruguay): Colicheuque, 1990.
  95. Swahili (Tanzania): Mtume, trans. Joseph R. Kotta, Dar es Salaam (Tanzania): Tanzania Pub. House, 1971.
  96. Swedish: Profeten, trans. Olga Bergmann, Stockholm (Sweden): Natur o. kultur, 1933.
  97. Syriac (Iraq): Enwīyā, trans. Youarish Haido & Robin Bet Shmuel, Baghdad (Iraq): Al-Mashriq Printing, 1998. 
  98. Syriac (Sweden): Nbíyā, trans. ʻAbd Mšíḥā Naʻmaʼn Qarahbaš, Jönköping (Sweden): Ashurbanibal Bok-förlag, 2002.
  99. Tagalog (Philippines): Ang pantas, trans. Ruth Elynia Mabanglo, Quezon City (Philippines): C & E Publishing, 2011.
  100. Tamazight (Algeria): Nnbi, trans. Husin Luni (Hocine Louni), Tizi Ouzou (Algeria): ÉditionsMehdi, 2014.
  101. Tamil (India): Tīrkkatarici, trans. Ca. Irācamāṇikkam, Chennai (Madras, India): Cantiyā Patippakam, 2011.
  102. Telugu (India): Pravakta, trans. Chikkala Krishna Rao, Hyderabad (India): Nabu Press, 1994.
  103. Thai: Pratchayā chīwit, trans. Ravi Vila Wilai,Bangkok (Thailand): Phiseux kar phimph, 
  104. Tigrinya: Eti Nebiy, trans. Mesfin Gebremedhin, Peterborough (England): Mesfin Gebremedhin, 2016.
  105. Turkish: Peygamber, trans. Orhan Ercem, Istanbul (Turkey): Marmara Kitabevi, 1945.
  106. Ukranian: Prorok, trans. Pavlo Nasada, Vsesvit, No. 1, Kiev (Ukraine), 1995.
  107. Urdu: Paighambar, trans. M. Saleh Zadah, Tehran: Kānūn-i Maʻrifat, 1961 (1340).
  108. Uyghur (China): Danishmăn: năsriy sheirlar, trans. unknown, Kashgar (People’s Republic of China): Qăshqăr Uighur Năshriyati, 2001.
  109. Vietnamese: Nhà tiên tri, trans. Châu Diên, Hanoi (Vietnam): Nxb Hội nhà văn, 1992.
  110. Xitsonga (Tsonga [South Africa]): Muprofeta, trans. Ximbani E. Mabaso, ed. P.H. Nkuna, Plettenberg Bay (South Africa): Pooka, 2007.
  111. Yiddish: Der novi, trans. Isaac Horowitz, Warsaw (Poland): Biblioteka Jaczkowskiego, 1929.
  112. Zulu: Umpholofithi, trans. DBZ Ntuli, Johannesburg (South Africa): Ad Donker, 1983.