Most translated books of all time
Books spread important ideas and encourage us to think critically. Especially in the past, literature has played a central role in shaping cultural and, in some nations, even national identities. In that spirit, we have compiled a list of the most translated books of all time.
1. The Bible
The most translated book of all time is pretty obvious. This, of course, is the Bible. Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, it has, in whole or in part, been translated into more than 3,380 languages, including fictional languages, such as Elvish and Klingon.
2. The Little Prince
The work of the French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ranks second on the list. It was published in 1943 and remains one of the all-time most popular children’s books, a testament to which is the number of copies sold.
The rest of the list of the most translated books is also dominated by religious works, children’s books and fairy tales. Below, you can see places three to ten.
3. The Adventures of Pinocchio
Author: Carlo Collodi
Published: 1883
Original language: Italian
4. Dao De Jing
Author: Chinese philosopher Laozi
Published: 400 BC
Original language: Chinese
5. The Communist Manifesto
Author: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
Published: 1848
Original language: German
6. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Author: Lewis Carroll
Published: 1865
Original language: English
7. Steps to Christ
Author: Ellen G. White
Published: 1892
Original language: English
8. Don Quijote
Author: Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Published: 1615
Original language: Spanish
9. Andersen’s Fairy Tales
Author: Hans Christian Andersen
Published: 1835–1852
Original language: Danish
10. The Adventures of Asterix
Author: René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
Published: 1959–
Original language: French
Perhaps it is no great surprise that the list is full of children’s works. To summarize the thought from the second most translated book of all time, The Little Prince:
All grown-ups were once children… but only few of them remember it.
