Translations & Transliterations
Arabic Transliterations
Huseyin Atay (1963 or 1974)
This is the only known transliteration of the Guide into Arabic characters.
English Translations
Michael Friedlander (1881-85)
Friedlander’s translation initially appeared in three volumes with footnotes. In a subsequent 1904 edition, the footnotes were eliminated and the book was combined into a single volume; this is the edition that is most commonly published, and the earlier edition has long been out of print.
This translation is no longer under copyright, and is available online.
Harvey, Warren Zev. “6. Michael Friedländer’s Pioneering English Translation of the Guide.” (2019) from Stern, Josef, James T. Robinson, and Yonatan Shemesh, eds. Maimonides’” Guide of the Perplexed” in Translation: A History from the Thirteenth Century to the Twentieth. University of Chicago Press, 2019.
Chaim Rabin & Julius Guttmann (1952) [abridged]
Shlomo Pines (1963)
Pines’ translation is considered the definitive scholarly English translation. It attempts to be consistent in translating the same Arabic term with the same English term. However, it has been criticized for being unduly influenced by the Leo Strauss school of interpretation.
This translation is still under copyright.
Stroumsa, Sarah. “7. The Elegance of Precision: On Pines’s Translation of the Literary Parts of the Guide.” (2019). from Stern, Josef, James T. Robinson, and Yonatan Shemesh, eds. Maimonides’” Guide of the Perplexed” in Translation: A History from the Thirteenth Century to the Twentieth. University of Chicago Press, 2019.
Lenn Goodman & Philip Lieberman (2024)
French Translations
Salomon Munk
Fenton, Paul B. “5. The Second Ibn Tibbon: Salomon Munk and His Translation of the Guide.” (2019). from Stern, Josef, James T. Robinson, and Yonatan Shemesh, eds. Maimonides’” Guide of the Perplexed” in Translation: A History from the Thirteenth Century to the Twentieth. University of Chicago Press, 2019.
Hebrew Translations
Ibn Tibbon (1204)
This was the definitive Hebrew translation of the Guide, and indeed the definitive version of the Guide for European Jews. Ibn Tibbon belonged to a family of scholars that lived in the south of France and who translated a large number of Arabic works into Hebrew. Samuel Ibn Tibbon can claim the distinction of being the only translator of the Guide to have directly corresponded with Maimonides about how to translate the Guide.
In general, this translation has been described as hewing closely to the text, sacrificing ‘sense’ to word-to-word correspondence.
In 1981, Yehuda Even-Shmuel edited the Ibn Tibbon translation.
Robinson, James T. “1. Moreh ha-nevukhim: The First Hebrew Translation of the Guide of the Perplexed.” (2019). from Stern, Josef, James T. Robinson, and Yonatan Shemesh, eds. Maimonides’” Guide of the Perplexed” in Translation: A History from the Thirteenth Century to the Twentieth. University of Chicago Press, 2019.
Yehuda al-Harizi (1213)
Yosef Qafih (1972)
Langermann, Y. Tzvi. “9. Rabbi Yosef Qafih’s Modern Medieval Translation of the Guide.” (2019). from Stern, Josef, James T. Robinson, and Yonatan Shemesh, eds. Maimonides’” Guide of the Perplexed” in Translation: A History from the Thirteenth Century to the Twentieth. University of Chicago Press, 2019.
Michael Schwarz (1996-2002)
A passage from the Guide III:54
Let us compare the text of the Guide in four different versions.
Textus Receptus: Munk (ed.)
ואלנוע אלראבע הו אלכמאל אלאנסאני אלחקיקי והו חצול אלפצ’איל אלנטקיה אעני תצור מעקולאת תפיד אראא צחיחה פי אלאלאהיאת והד’ה הי אלגאיה אלאכ’ירה והי אלתי תכמל אלשכ’ץ כמאלא חקיקיא והי לה וחדה והי תפידה אלבקא אלדאים. ובהא אלאנסאן אנסאן. ואעתבר כל כמאל מן אלת’לת’ה כמאלאת אלמתקדמה תג’דהא לגירך לא לך ואן כאן ולא בד בחסב אלמשהור פהי לך ולגירך אמא הד’א אלכמאל אלאכ’יר פהו לך וחדך ליס לאכ’ר מעך פיה משארכה בוג’ה יהיו לך לבדך וגו’ ולהד’א ינבגי לך אן תחרץ עלי חצול הד’א אלבאקי לך ולא תתעב ותשקי לאכ’רין יא גאפלא ען נפסה חתי אסוד ביאצ’הא באסתילא אלקוי אלג’סמאניה עליהא
Ibn Tibbon (tr. Hebrew):
והמין הרביעי הוא השלמות האנושי האמיתי, והוא – הגיע לאדם המעלות השכליות – רצוני לומר: ציור המושכלות ללמוד מהם דעות אמתיות באלהיות. וזאת היא התכלית האחרונה, והיא משלמת האדם שלמות אמיתי, והיא לו לבדו, ובעבורה יזכה לקיום הנצחי, ובה האדם אדם. ובחון כל שלמות מן השלש שלמויות הקודמות – תמצאם לזולתך לא לך; ואם אי אפשר לפי המפורסם מבלעדי היותם גם כך, הם לך ולזולתך; – אבל זה השלמות האחרון הוא לך לבדך אין לאחר עמך בו שיתוף כלל, ״יהיו לך לבדך וגו׳״. ומפני זה ראוי לך שתהיה השתדלותך להגיע אל זה הנשאר לך, ולא תטרח ולא תיגע לאחרים – אתה השוכח נפשך עד ששחר לובן פניה במשול הכוחות הגופניות עליה
Munk (tr. French)
La quatrième espèce est la véritable perfection humaine; elle consiste à acquérir les vertus intellectuelles, c’est-à-dire à con- cevoir des choses intelligibles qui puissent nous donner des idées saines sur les sujets métaphysiques. C’est là la fin dernière (de l’homme), qui donne à l’individu humain une véritable perfec- tion; elle appartient à lui seul, c’est par elle qu’il obtient l’im- mortalité, et c’est par elle que l’homme est (réellement) homme. Si tu considères chacune des trois perfections précédentes, tu trouveras qu’elles profitent à d’autres et non à toi (1), quoique, selon les idées vulgaires, elles profitent nécessairement à toi et aux autres (2); mais cette dernière perfection profite à toi seul, et aucun autre n’en partage avec toi le bénéfice : qu’elles soient à toi seul, etc. (Prov., V, 17) (3). C’est pourquoi il faut que tu sois avide d’obtenir cette chose qui reste à toi, et que tu ne te donnes ni fatigues, ni peine, pour ce qui profite à d’autres, en négligeant ton âme, de manière que son éclat soit terni par la prépondérance des facultés corporelles (4).
Michael Friedlander (tr. English):
The fourth kind of perfection is the true perfection of man: the possession of the highest, intellectual faculties; the possession of such notions which lead to true metaphysical opinions as regards God. With this perfection man has obtained his final object; it gives him true human perfection; it remains to him alone; it gives him immortality, and on its account he is called man. Examine the first three kinds of perfection, you will find that, if you possess them, they are not your property, but the property of others; according to the ordinary view, however, they belong to you and to others. But the last kind of perfection is exclusively yours; no one else owns any part of it, “They shall be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee” (Prov. 5:17). Your aim must therefore be to attain this [fourth] perfection that is exclusively yours, and you ought not to continue to work and weary yourself for that which belongs to others, whilst neglecting your soul till it has lost entirely its original purity through the dominion of the bodily powers over it.
Shlomo Pines (tr. English)
The fourth species is the true human perfection; it consists in the acquisition of the rational virtues — I refer to the conception of intelligibles, which teach true opinions concerning the divine things. This is in true reality the ultimate end; this is what gives the indivudal true perfection, a perfection belonging to him alone; and it gives him permanent perdueance; through it man is man. If you consider each of the the three perfections mentioned before, you will find that they pertain to others than you, not to you, even though, according to the generlaly accepted opinion, they inevitably pertain both to you and to others. This ultimate perfection, however, pertains to you alone, no one else being associated in it with you in any way: They shall be only thine own, and so on. Therefore you ought to desire to achieve this thing, which will remain permanently with you, and not weary and trouble yourself for the sake of others, O you who neglect your own soul so that its whiteness has turned into blackness through the corporeal faculties having gained dominion over it…
Huseyin Atay (ed. Arabic)
و نوع الرابع ھو الکمال الانسانی الحقیقی، و ھو حصول الفضائل النطقیة، اعنی تصوُّر معقولات تفید آراء صحیحة فی الالھیات۔ و ھذہ ھی الغایة الاخیرة و ھی التی تُکمّل الشخص کمالا حقیقیّا، و ھی لہ وحدہ، و ھی تفیدہ البقاء الدائم، و بہا الانسان انسان۔ و اعتبر کل کمال من الثلثة کمالات المتقدمة تجدھا لغیرک، لا لک۔ و ان کان ولابد بحسب المشہور، فھی لک و لغیرک۔ اما ھذا الکمال الاخیر فھو لک وحدک، لیس لاخر معک فیہ مشارکة بوجہ: “لتکن لک وحدک الخ”۔ و لھذا ینبغی لک ان تحرص علی حصول ھذا الباقی لک، ولا تتعب، و تشقی لاخرین، یا غافلا عن نفسہ!حتی اسودّ بیاضہا باستیلاء القوی الجسمانیة علیہا…
Line-by-line comparison
“The fourth species is …”
| Edition | Text |
|---|---|
| Shlomo Pines | The fourth species is the true human perfection; it consists in the acquisition of the rational virtues |
| Michael Friedlander | The fourth kind of perfection is the true perfection of man: the possession of the highest, intellectual faculties |
| Salomon Munk (tr.) | c’est-à-dire à con- cevoir des choses intelligibles qui puissent nous donner des idées saines sur les sujets métaphysiques |
| Salomon Munk (ed.) | אעני תצור מעקולאת תפיד אראא צחיחה פי אלאלאהיאת |
| Huseyin Atay (ed.) | و نوع الرابع ھو الکمال الانسانی الحقیقی، و ھو حصول الفضائل النطقیة |
“I refer to the conception of intelligibles …”
| Edition | Text |
|---|---|
| Shlomo Pines | I refer to the conception of intelligibles, which teach true opinions concerning the divine things |
| Michael Friedlander | the possession of such notions which lead to true metaphysical opinions as regards God. |
| Salomon Munk (tr.) | La quatrième espèce est la véritable perfection humaine; elle consiste à acquérir les vertus intellectuelles |
| Salomon Munk (ed.) | ואלנוע אלראבע הו אלכמאל אלאנסאני אלחקיקי והו חצול אלפצ’איל אלנטקיה |
| Huseyin Atay (ed.) | اعنی تصوُّر معقولات تفید آراء صحیحة فی الالھیات |
“This is in true reality …”
| Edition | Text |
|---|---|
| Shlomo Pines | This is in true reality the ultimate end; this is what gives the indivudal true perfection, a perfection belonging to him alone; and it gives him permanent perdueance; through it man is man. |
| Michael Friedlander | With this perfection man has obtained his final object; it gives him true human perfection; it remains to him alone; it gives him immortality, and on its account he is called man. |
| Salomon Munk (tr.) | C’est là la fin dernière (de l’homme), qui donne à l’individu humain une véritable perfec- tion; elle appartient à lui seul, c’est par elle qu’il obtient l’im- mortalité, et c’est par elle que l’homme est (réellement) homme. |
| Salomon Munk (ed.) | והד’ה הי אלגאיה אלאכ’ירה והי אלתי תכמל אלשכ’ץ כמאלא חקיקיא והי לה וחדה והי תפידה אלבקא אלדאים. ובהא אלאנסאן אנסאן |
| Huseyin Atay (ed.) | و ھذہ ھی الغایة الاخیرة و ھی التی تُکمّل الشخص کمالا حقیقیّا، و ھی لہ وحدہ، و ھی تفیدہ البقاء الدائم، و بہا الانسان انسان |
“If you consider …”
| Edition | Text |
|---|---|
| Shlomo Pines | If you consider each of the the three perfections mentioned before, you will find that they pertain to others than you, not to you |
| Michael Friedlander | Examine the first three kinds of perfection, you will find that, if you possess them, they are not your property, but the property of others; |
| Salomon Munk (tr.) | Si tu considères chacune des trois perfections précédentes, tu trouveras qu’elles profitent à d’autres et non à toi (1), |
| Salomon Munk (ed.) | ואעתבר כל כמאל מן אלת’לת’ה כמאלאת אלמתקדמה תג’דהא לגירך לא לך |
| Huseyin Atay (ed.) | و اعتبر کل کمال من الثلثة کمالات المتقدمة تجدھا لغیرک، لا لک۔ |
“Even though, according to the…”
| Edition | Text |
|---|---|
| Shlomo Pines | even though, according to the generlaly accepted opinion, they inevitably pertain both to you and to others. |
| Michael Friedlander | according to the ordinary view, however, they belong to you and to others. |
| Salomon Munk (tr.) | quoique, selon les idées vulgaires, elles profitent nécessairement à toi et aux autres (2); |
| Salomon Munk (ed.) | ואן כאן ולא בד בחסב אלמשהור פהי לך ולגירך |
| Huseyin Atay (ed.) | و ان کان ولابد بحسب المشہور، فھی لک و لغیرک |
“This ultimate perfection, however …”
| Edition | Text |
|---|---|
| Shlomo Pines | This ultimate perfection, however, pertains to you alone, no one else being associated in it with you in any way: They shall be only thine own, and so on. |
| Michael Friedlander | But the last kind of perfection is exclusively yours; no one else owns any part of it, “They shall be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee” (Prov. 5:17). |
| Salomon Munk (tr.) | mais cette dernière perfection profite à toi seul, et aucun autre n’en partage avec toi le bénéfice : qu’elles soient à toi seul, etc. (Prov., V, 17) |
| Salomon Munk (ed.) | אמא הד’א אלכמאל אלאכ’יר פהו לך וחדך ליס לאכ’ר מעך פיה משארכה בוג’ה יהיו לך לבדך וגו’ ולהד’א ינבגי (need to correct) |
| Huseyin Atay (ed.) | “اما ھذا الکمال الاخیر فھو لک وحدک، لیس لاخر معک فیہ مشارکة بوجہ: “لتکن لک وحدک الخ |
“Therefore you ought to …”
| Edition | Text |
|---|---|
| Shlomo Pines | Therefore you ought to desire to achieve this thing, which will remain permanently with you |
| Michael Friedlander | Therefore you ought to desire to achieve this thing, which will remain permanently with you |
| Salomon Munk (tr.) | C’est pourquoi il faut que tu sois avide d’obtenir cette chose qui reste à toi |
| Salomon Munk (ed.) | ולהד’א ינבגי לך אן תחרץ עלי חצול הד’א אלבאקי לך |
| Huseyin Atay (ed.) | و لھذا ینبغی لک ان تحرص علی حصول ھذا الباقی لک |
“and not weary and trouble yourself …”
| Edition | Text |
|---|---|
| Shlomo Pines | and not weary and trouble yourself for the sake of others, O you who neglect your own soul so that its whiteness has turned into blackness through the corporeal faculties having gained dominion over it |
| Michael Friedlander | and you ought not to continue to work and weary yourself for that which belongs to others, whilst neglecting your soul till it has lost entirely its original purity through the dominion of the bodily powers over it |
| Salomon Munk (tr.) | et que tu ne te donnes ni fatigues, ni peine, pour ce qui profite à d’autres, en négligeant ton âme, de manière que son éclat soit terni par la prépondérance des facultés corporelles . |
| Salomon Munk (ed.) | לך ולא תתעב ותשקי לאכ’רין יא גאפלא ען נפסה חתי אסוד ביאצ’הא באסתילא אלקוי אלג’סמאניה עליהא |
| Huseyin Atay (ed.) | ولا تتعب، و تشقی لاخرین، یا غافلا عن نفسہ!حتی اسودّ بیاضہا باستیلاء القوی الجسمانیة علیہا |