Strategies for Translating Saj' in Literary Texts: A Case Study of Khutbat al-Gharra

Abstract

Saj', a prominent rhetorical device in Arabic prose, significantly contributes to its literary artistry and rhythmic variation, particularly in sermons, thereby stirring emotions and sentiments. Saj', in its various forms, dominates the sermons of Nahj al-Balagha, imbuing the text with a distinct mark of excellence. Its rhythmic harmony effectively conveys the semantic value of sounds. Translating saj' presents considerable challenges due to its linguistic and aesthetic complexities, demanding a delicate balance between creativity and fidelity to the original text. This research investigates how the verbal aesthetics and rhythmic aspects of saj' in Nahj al-Balagha are conveyed, focusing on Sayyid Ja'far Shahidi's translation of Khutbat al-Gharra'. The study also explores the strategies employed by Shahidi to preserve both the rhythm and the connotations evoked by the original's rhythmic structures in Persian. A descriptive-analytical approach is adopted, drawing upon the strategies proposed by Delabastita for translating wordplay. The findings indicate that Sayyid Ja'far Shahidi utilized several strategies to address saj' in his translation. These include reproducing saj' in the target language, creating new saj' in the target text, omitting and adding elements, combining these methods, and generalization. Notably, the creation of new saj' is among the most frequently employed strategies in the translation analyzed.