Teresa of Ávila speaks again

St. Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) has gone down in Christian history as a philosopher, mystic, and leader at a time when such spheres were dominated by men. A descendant of Jewish conversos forced to embrace Catholicism or leave Spain, she was given a solid education at a time when few girls were even literate. At age 20 she entered a local Carmelite congregation, and from there she went on to become a reformer and leader, ultimately working with John of the Cross to revitalize both male and female monastic communities. The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection, which combine philosophy with spiritual guidance for Carmelites, contributed to her being declared the first female Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI in 1970.

It is less commonly known that Teresa was also a poet. While her poetry has been rendered into English many times, this new translation by Dana Delibovi marks the first translation of Teresa’s poetry by a female poet. With colloquial language that captures the saint’s playful side, thoughtful reflection on her message of faith in the face of uncertainty, and substantial commentary on the translation process itself, Delibovi makes Teresa’s mystical vision come alive for 21st-century readers.

The acclaimed theorist of translation Lawrence Venuti has discussed extensively the idea of the translator’s “invisibility.” Historically, translators have aimed to make the translated text seem as if it were originally written in the target language, to make readers forget that we are reading a translation. The Bible’s many translations are perhaps the clearest case in point. But in recent years, some translators have changed their approach, playing their cards with open hands and drawing attention to the truth that translation is an art in its own right.