Translation is entirely mysterious. Increasingly I have felt that the art of writing is itself translating, or more like translating than it is like anything else. What is the other text, the original? I have no answer. I suppose it is the source, the deep sea where ideas swim, and one catches them in nets of words and swings them shining into the boat... where in this metaphor they die and get canned and eaten in sandwiches.

Summary

This quote by Ursula K. Le Guin highlights the mysterious nature of translation and its resemblance to the act of writing. Le Guin suggests that writing is akin to translating because it involves capturing ideas from an intangible source, like the deep sea of thoughts, and expressing them through words. However, the metaphor takes a humorous turn, as the translated ideas ultimately lose their original essence and are "canned and eaten in sandwiches." This quote reflects the complexities involved in both translation and writing, emphasizing the challenges of fully conveying the richness of ideas across languages and contexts.

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