[Essay] Would you please check if this needs editing?

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aburisha

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Hello All

This is my translation of an article from Arabic into English. The discourse is religious. Is it clear for the English reader? Is there anything that needs to be changed?

Here is the text:



Merits of Knowledge
It is necessary from the outset to define and understand three basic terms. The first one is knowledge. The Arabic lexicon defines knowledge as “the process whereby a given thing is perceived as it really is and whereby any uncertainty about it is removed.” Knowledge is, in fact, the source of insight that we need to distinguish between what is right and wrong not only in our religious practices, but also in our daily lives. Knowledge illuminates man’s path towards safety and, as such, can be seen as the opposite of our next term “ignorance”, which is, needless to say, equal to misery and darkness. Our third term is “mind” that can overlap sometimes, depending on context, with such terms as “reason” and “reasoning”. It is an immaterial substance which renders the unseen perceivable through the use of some mental mechanisms, and the sensed objects through sensation.


By the mind, “mindful” people, so often called “sane”, watch for the straight path, which they must pursue in life so as not to commit wrongful acts. Mind comes first in all man’s acts and experience comes second. At the end of the day, it is mind that can lead man to goodness and righteousness.


God bestowed on man the power to reason, which sets man aside from other animals. Through this faculty, man can learn about the greatness of God but also about his own being. Mind, therefore, serves as a guide for man to righteousness and salvation and provides him with safeguards against being corrupted or going astray. Mind is the standard that is used in the Day of Judgment when reckoning man for his acts in this life.


God is also merciful and does not mean for His servants a strenuous journey towards guidance. Rather, He sent them messengers, prophets and heavenly books to remove any ignorance or misunderstanding of the secrets of the universe and the existence of God. Man needs to be awakened and to learn about the omnipotence of God. Thus, with the last prophet, Messenger Muhammad, and the last heavenly book, the Quran, human life has had a chance to get out from the darkness of digression into the light of righteousness. It was a good omen by God to mankind. The omen has been fulfilled and salvation has been attained by those who believed in God and His messenger​
 

charliedeut

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Hello All

This is my translation of an article from Arabic into English. The discourse is religious. Is it clear for the English reader? Is there anything that needs to be changed?

Here is the text:



Merits of Knowledge
It is necessary from the outset to define and understand three basic terms. The first one is knowledge. The Arabic lexicon defines knowledge as “the process whereby a given thing is perceived as it really is and whereby any uncertainty about it is removed.” Knowledge is, in fact, the source of insight that we need to distinguish between what is right and wrong not only in our religious practices, but also in our daily lives. Knowledge illuminates man’s path towards safety[STRIKE] and,[/STRIKE].As such, knowledge/it can be seen as the opposite of our next term, “ignorance”, which is, needless to say, equal to misery and darkness. Our third term is “mind”,which can sometimes overlap, depending on context, with such terms as “reason” and “reasoning”. It is an immaterial substance which renders the unseen perceivable through the use of some mental mechanisms [IMO, you should provide examples of the mechanisms], and the sensed objects through sensation.


[STRIKE]By [/STRIKE]Through the mind, “mindful” people, so often called “sane”, watch for the straight path, which they must pursue in life so as not to commit wrongful acts. Mind comes first in all man’s acts and experience comes second. At the end of the day, it is mind that can lead man to goodness and righteousness.


God bestowed on man the power to reason, which sets man aside from other animals. Through this faculty, man can learn about the greatness of God but also about his own being. Mind, therefore, serves as a guide for man to righteousness and salvation and provides him with safeguards against being corrupted or going astray. Mind is the standard that is used in the Day of Judgment when reckoning man for his acts in this life.


God is also merciful and does not mean for His servants a strenuous journey towards guidance. Rather, He sent them messengers, prophets and heavenly books to remove any ignorance or misunderstanding of the secrets of the universe and the existence of God. Man needs to be awakened and [STRIKE]to [/STRIKE]learn about the omnipotence of God. Thus, with the last prophet, Messenger Muhammad, and the last heavenly book, the Quran, human life has had a chance to get out from the darkness of digression into the light of righteousness. It was a good omen by God to mankind. The omen has been fulfilled and salvation has been attained by those who believed in God and His messenger​

Hi and welcome :hi:,

That is what I could do for you. We'll have to wait for other contribrutors for the rest

charliedeut

PS: I must say, however, that it is understandable, but a bit dense, perhaps.
 

aburisha

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Very grateful to you charliedeut. Thank you. I 100% agree that the writer should have provided examples for what he calls "mental mechanisms". The original text is very awkward and gives all concepts in a disorederly manner. When translating from Arabic into English, professional translators usually envisage alternative texts that are much more organised.
 
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