Not all soulmates are made equal
The first book on this list is from a Lebanese-American poet and writer. ‘The Prophet’ was published in 1923 and is made up of 26 prose poetry fables, originally written in English and translated into 108 languages.
The book is divided into chapters that deal with various topics of life, including love, joy, crime, passion, friendship, and even religion and death.
The Quran is famously known as the central religious text of Islam and is believed to have been completed in 632 CE in the original Arabic. It has also been translated into 114 languages, the first of which was Persian.
Muslims believe that the Quran is not simply divinely inspired, but that it is actually the literal words of God as spoken to the prophet Muhammad through the archangel Gabriel.
Also known in some adaptations as ‘Asterix and Obelix,’ most people will recognize this as the book series that tells the story of warriors fighting against the Roman Empire.
The series is being continually published, but it was started in 1959 and has seen 115 translations from the original French, although not in its entirety.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have their own religious text that has made it onto this list, called the Book of Mormon. Since its publication in 1830, there have been 115 translations.
According to those who adhere to the Church, the book is meant to be a companion scripture to the Bible, telling the continued story of Jesus Christ after his resurrection.
Over the course of his 70-year life, Danish author Hans Christian Andersen wrote 156 fairy tales across nine volumes. These have been collectively translated into 129 languages.
The novel has been translated into more than 140 languages, and tells the story of a man of low nobility who loses his mind and decides to become a knight and serve his nation.
Arriving in the top 10 is the Spanish epic novel published in 1615 by Miguel de Cervantes. It has been heralded as the first modern novel and the greatest ever written.
Author Ellen G. White was a pioneer of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and she published this book in 1892 as a detailed guide in religious and personal development.
Since its publication, White’s book has seen more than 160 translations and is believed to be one of the primary literary indications of Christian salvation.
The German brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, originally published a first edition book containing 86 stories in 1812. By the seventh edition, which was published 46 years later, the number had expanded to 200 tales.
The fairy tales have had 170 translations, and contain many famous works that have been notably adapted into Disney films, including ‘Snow White’ and ‘Rapunzel.’ Although be warned: the original source material is far darker than the beloved adaptations!
This is quite possibly one of the most famous children’s books in the world. It is certainly one of the most translated, with 174 languages.
Since its publication in 1865, Carroll’s novel has been regarded as one of the foremost examples of the literary nonsense genre, and has influenced popular culture in numerous ways.
‘The Communist Manifesto’ has been considered one of the world's most influential political documents. Its success can clearly be seen by the fact that it has been translated into more than 200 languages.
Another religious text arrives, this time as the fifth most-translated book in the world. It is a fictional book that was written by a Puritan preacher, published in 1678, and subsequently translated into over 200 languages.
The novel tells the allegorical story of a man who embarks on a journey from one city to another, which heavily symbolizes the Christian journey from sin to salvation.
One of the oldest books on this list is the fourth most translated. ‘Tao Te Ching’ is a philosophical and religious text that was written in Chinese classic text in 400 BCE.
Many historians have debated who the real author of this work is, but it is widely accepted that the text has influenced much of Chinese philosophy and religious practice for the past 2,000 years, especially since it has been translated more than 250 times.
Collodi wrote the story about Pinocchio in 1883, first for a magazine and then as a book. The story has been so successful that it has inspired many other works of fiction, including Disney’s animated feature film that was released in 1940.
The Italian classic story about a wooden marionette named Pinocchio arrives on this list as the third most-translated book in the world, with 260 languages.
Saint-Exupéry's novella quite maturely observes themes of life, loneliness, love, and loss–all in the hopes of providing timeless teachings to children about how we exist in this world.
Second place on this list belongs to a French novella that was published in 1943. ‘The Little Prince’ is the most translated children’s book in the world, and the story has been written in more than 500 languages.
The most translated book in the world will probably not be all that shocking to most people. In its entirety, the Bible has been translated into more than 700 languages, while the New Testament alone has been translated into more than 2,000.
This is indeed the oldest book on this list, dating back to the 2nd century BCE, and is also the most sold in history, with five billion copies.
Sources: (Lighthouse Translations) (Optilingua) (Tomedes)
See also: Read up on the world's rarest and most valuable books
This is the most recently published work appearing on this list, having been released in 1980. Interestingly, it isn’t a novel at all, and is instead a booklet written by the founder of the Church of Scientology.
Hubbard’s booklet outlines 21 moral precepts that are used as a recruiting tool by the Church. It has been translated into 114 languages.
The fairy tales that Andersen wrote have become prolifically embedded in the Western world, with his famous works including ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘The Ugly Duckling.’
These are some of the most popular and iconic books translated into various languages. Click to find out.
The world's most translated books
These books are among the most popular and have been translated into many languages
LIFESTYLE Literature
In the maze of literary history, there are some books that have transcended the barriers of language so that hearts around the world can be moved. These books are a testament to humanity’s search for connection and solidarity. Indeed, only 16 literary works have been translated into more than 100 languages, which simply shows how some stories can stand the test of time.
Interested? Click through this gallery to find out what the most translated books in history are.