English-only speaker here. A good translation is one where the "good" in the original comes through. That might be a concept, a story, or even the rhythm of th

English-only speaker here. A good translation is one where the "good" in the original comes through. That might be a concept, a story, or even the rhythm of the words. Great books especially have _many_ good things that a translation needs to handle. Translation is hard because sometimes translating a "feel" might come at a loss of the clarity needed to express an idea. I like what Emerson said about it in "Books" > What is really best in any book is translatable, – any real insight or broad human sentiment. Nay, I observe that, in our Bible, and other books of lofty moral tone, it seems easy and inevitable to render the rhythm and music of the original into phrases of equal melody.