Arabian Nights Books


Main	Background	Illustrators	Translators	Editions	Resources

The Arabian Nights have, of course been translated many times over the years. Often, they've arrived in a country via multiple translations (England, for example, where they arrived via a French translation). Something about the Nights, however, seems to overcome even the poorest translation. For a comparison of translation styles, try this page, which compares and contrasts several translations of the same passage.

We at this site are very weak when it comes to translators, we have information on only a few. Do not take the following list as being in any way definitive.

Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821 — 1890)

Burton's translation was first published by Kamashastra Society, Benares,(Stoke Newington) in 16 volumes, in 1885. Explorer and soldier and master of 35 languages, he entered the Indian Army in 1842. With Speke he discovered the source of the Nile in 1858, travelled further in Africa, made a prilgrimage in disguise to Mecca, served in the Crimea, worked in Brazil and the Middle East for the Diplomatic Corps, authored many books and was knighted in 1868.

Rev. Edward Forster (? — ?)

Forster was first published by William Miller, London, 1802.

Antoine Galland (? — ?)

A French scholar, Antoine Galland made his original translation into French in 1705. Release as a serial, it proved an immediate success throughout Europe. For the next 100 years most Englishmen read the stories either in French or English translations from the French.

Edward William Lane (1801 — 1876)

Lane was first published by C.Knight & Co., London, in 1839-4. Lane began life as an engraver. However, suffering ill health, he made his first journey to Egypt in 1825 where he made many sketches, explored the Nile and laid the foundations of his Arabic scholarship. He spent years in laborious research, finally producing his huge Arabic lexicon (1863-74).

His translation of the Arabian Nights was intended for general reading so he eliminated any scurrilous inuendo, unlike Burton. He remains the only Arabist who maintained the stories were from the pen of one, or at most two people.

John Payne (1842 — 1916)

Payne was first published by Villon Society, with 500 copies, of 13 volumes in 1882-89. An English poet and translator, he also translated Bocaccio's Decameron.

Jonathan Scott (1754 — 1829)

Scott learned Arabic and Persian in India and worked for Warren Hastings. He was Oriental Professor at the East India College at Haileybury in Hertfordshire. Founded by the East India Company in 1806, it was a training college for civil service cadets.

His text was used again by Frederick Warne & Co. in the George Fyler Townsend editions of 1869 and 1887 also in the Nimmo & Bain edition of 1883 in 150 numbered sets of 4 volumes illustrated with 18 etchings by the French artist Adolphe Lalauze. In 1890 S.L. Wood illustrated a four volume reprint published by Pickering & Chatto. Scott's text has subsequently been used, in part and adapted for various school and children?s editions.

Henry Torrens (? — ?)

Torrens was first published by W.Thacker & Co., Calcutta, 1 vol.1838.