The Qur'an: A New Translation by Thomas Cleary
From Silvers
Cleary's translation of the Qur'an
From the publisher's website:
This is a new and complete translation of the Qur’an, the Muslim scripture, by one of the premier translators of religious texts in the world. The meanings of this sacred text are rendered into the English language in a style that allows the reader an opportunity to soak in the spirit and soul of the Qur’an. This direct and timely rendition is an essential source for the modern seeker.
About the Author: Thomas Cleary holds a Ph.D. in East Asian languages and civilizations from Harvard University. He lives in Oakland, California. He is the translator of more than fifty volumes of Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, and Islamic texts from Sanskrit, Chinese, Japanese, Pali, and Arabic. His translations include: The Art of War, Awakening to the Tao, The Book of Five Rings, and The Wisdom of the Prophet: The Sayings of Muhammad.
Laury's thoughts on this translation
I expected a new age translation. So far I have not been disappointed. I find the translation can be unweildy, unclear, and manipulated to remove challenging content from the Qur'an. In other cases, I have found what seems to be either odd unintended humor or ill attempts at highlighting challenging content. I am not certain which. Neither speaks well for the translation. For instance, he translates the beating phrase in 4:34 as "spank them." "Spank them," perhaps unintentionally, brings new meaning to a verse outlining a wife's obligation to be obedient to her husband. Perhaps he intented to bring out the submissive/dom elements in a way to highlight the challenge constituted by the mere presence of that verse in the Qur'an. Likewise, we could also argue that his translation choice highlights the father-child relationship between men and their wives. "Daddy is going to spank wifey if she is rebellious again." I find the translation useful so far in that it shows how the worst possible meaning can be brought to light given enough time and energy. It isn't quite clear to me how such translations allow us to "soak up the spirit and soul of the Qur'an," though. All snarkiness aside, I am keeping my mind open and will report back as I go along. I trust this publisher implicity and find reason through them to trust carrying on with reading the translation.
