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Suggested translation^1,2:

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¹This translation may have been updated from the original suggested translation as a result of the discussions that follow.
²Click on the {verse number} of a translation to see other good translations of the verse.

I like it. I want to comment as follows,


I'd like to find a good word to translate الرحيم. "Merciful" translates راحِم, i.e., it does not reflect the abundance conveyed by الرحيم, which in Arabic is an "exaggeration pattern" صيغة مبالغة.


I prefer the two bracketed words be removed. "Praise is to God" fully conveys the meaning, IMHO.


I love the choice of "sovereign!" Another excellent word I've seen is "Master."

I'm inclined to use "settlement" instead of recompense, because "recompense" best translates جزاء and I'd like to establish a one-to-one correspondence between Arabic and English in the words we choose whenever possible.

What is the justification for not using "Owner" which seems the most straightforward translation of the Arabic word "Malik"?

It's been translated "owner." I have no problem with translating it to "owner." The argument for using another word is that مالِك means more than owner in Arabic. It means King and controller. Recall,


"Control that day is God's. He judges between them. Those who have believed and did the good [deeds] are in the Gardens of bliss." (22:56)

Me, I like "Master" best among all the translations I read.

Point well taken. I see that Sovereign and Master fit better than Owner.

I believe that the Qur'an carries many aspects of poetry, and therefore should be translated accurately, as you hope, but also lyrically. That is why I find Arberry's translation to be the best in places, because it waxes poetic. One should also strive to use easy every day language that doesn't sound contrived or "Biblical," although many passages of the Qur'an mirror Biblical scripture (for example Al-Fatiha has all the characteristics of the Hebrew prayers: both the Jewish Mourner's Kadish and the Christian/Davidic Lord's prayer: (1) invoke the Lord's name(s), (2) glorify the Lord, (3) ask for something; many آحاديث confirm that the Prophet (p) did compare those seven rhyming verses السبع المثاني to what was given to previous prohpets).

Here is my effort for translating the Fatiha, keeping to word-for-word authenticity, but certainly taking some poetic license in selecting one of the قراءات and one set of meanings:

{1:1} In the name of God, Most Gracious and Most Merciful.

{1:2} All praise belongs to God, Lord of All the Worlds.

{1:3} Most Gracious and Most Merciful,

{1:4} King on the final day.

{1:5} We worship only you, and seek only your help.

{1:6} Show us the righteous path,

{1:7} the path of those you blessed, not those who earned your wrath, nor those who went astray.

I hadn't heard before of the Arberry translation. Thanks for bringing it up. I'm always on the lookout for good translations of the Quran. I'm adding a post about it in the "Other good translations" forum.

I was touched by Mr. Arberry's description of the feeling that overwhelmed him whenever he listened to the Quran recited. He wrote,