The making of the Most Translated Book in the World

The primary means of communication known to man is speech. Segun James looks at the efforts of a Nigeria-based Christian group to codify all known languages in the world.

 

Even for the sake of an academic exercise, have you ever imagined how many languages are there in the world? How many are lost and how many are still spoken? How many have been codified into writing in order to preserve it for posterity? These are some of the questions that agitate the minds of linguistics experts all over the world. The answer to some of these questions has been found if the LoveWorld Publishing Company’s religion book publishers claim is anything to go by.

Now, imagine how many languages exist worldwide. How many are going extinct and how many are still spoken by at least 1,000 people? To the United Nations, the world’s largest political organization, officially, there are over 7139 languages. Now, coming to Nigeria specifically, how many languages are there in this country? To the Nigerian government, there are 512 languages, but from the research carried out by LoveWorld Publishing, the publishers of Rhapsody of Realities, a daily devotional authored by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome there are 522 languages in the country.

Now, imagine this. In how many languages is the most widely read book translated? Until recently, the feat of the most translated document, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, produced by the United Nations in 1948 has been translated into only 370 languages as of 2019.

And, even the acclaimed Most Professionally Translated Author in the World, Agatha Christie has her books in only 100+ languages!

 

Here comes the Rhapsody of Realities, which today has been officially translated to over 7000 of the world’s 7139. With this figure, it is now the world’s most translated book. This, of course, is a great achievement given the fact that the devotional is authored by one man, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome!   

At a ceremony to celebrate the attainment of such a lofty goal, an elated Director of Operations, LoveWorld Publishing, Pastor (Mrs.) Lola Aisida, enjoined the people that now that the Translators’ Network International (TNI) have done their part, it is now left for the people to start reading the book in their languages for posterity.

She said that a Rhapsody Language Missionary of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is spreading around the world with great urgency with the mission to reach over 7 billion people in over 7,000 languages worldwide!

“Never in the history of the world, and in all the record books of Guinness Book of World Records, has any literary material – be it document, film, writing, book, or any piece of historical or modern parchment – been translated into 7,000 languages.

 

“The meteoric rise of the Rhapsody of Realities devotional to the most-coveted spot as the world’s No 1 daily devotional and now Most Translated Book in the world began with first edition published in the English Language by LoveWorld Publishing.”

 

She said that 22 years after, LoveWorld Publishing has grown into a vast network of publishers spread across several countries, adding that the work of translation is deployed by a massive army of translators who applied due diligence processes in delivering Rhapsody of Realities to all the 7,000 languages.

 

“By any standard, the work of translation is not an easy one. If it were, the world’s popularly literary pieces would have long been made available in all languages. On the contrary, authenticated records show that the most translated short film documentary is in eleven translations; the most translated short film has 22 translations; the most translated document, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, produced by United Nations in 1948 has been translated into only 370 languages as of 2019.

 

“And, even the acclaimed Most Professionally Translated Author in the World, Agatha Christie has her books in only 100+ languages!”

 

According to Aisida, translation is tedious work, even as she said that LoveWorld Publishing has proven that the translation of a book into all known languages of the World is work that can be done.

 

Aisida stressed that the book is the number one tool for discipling the whole world and that God’s desire isn’t only for people to be reached with the Gospel but also to be disciplined. “Rhapsody of Realities is the only material in the world positioned to effectively reach and disciple all men with the Gospel.

 

“Daily, it molds the life of billions around the world by bringing them God’s word in an easy-to-understand form in over 7,000 languages and formats such as Print, Audio, Digital, Braille, and Sign Language.”

 

“There are 7,139 languages spoken today, but a report says 42 percent of these languages are endangered. These statistics posed a global challenge fit only for a global publishing house that transcends the inadequacies of the publishing space.”

 

She concluded that LoveWorld Publishing will ensure that no language goes extinct as Rhapsody of Realities will remain widely distributed month after month in over 7,000 languages of the world.

 

Speaking, the Abuja Zonal Pastor, Christ Embassy, Dipo Esho, appreciated Pastor Oyakhilome “for bringing men into the reality of the original purpose for which they were created,” through the book.

 

He said the Ministry would ensure the book continues to reach all communities in nations of the world.

 

According to him, the purpose of the book is “to bring men back to their creator for their purpose to be fulfilled,” mentioning that testimonies abound of people in hopeless situations who have got the reason again to live again by reading the book.

 

A user, Dr. Chris Iyama, said the Rhapsody of Realities has been transforming lives, mentioning that as users, there has been the creation of study groups meeting daily to study the book.

 

He said the book is mind enlightening and the testimonies of its users have shown productive contributions in their various endeavors, including legislators in the National Assembly and public offices.

 

According to him, the 7000 languages translation feat is “worth celebrating and shouting about.”

Mr. Michael Egbo, said the book has been a huge blessing to him and his family.

Egbo, who has been supplying the devotional to Ghana Prisons, said through the devotional over 500 prisoners gave their lives to Jesus Christ and one of them is now a Pastor of the Gospel in Togo.

 

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