Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation
The Banipal Prize, officially the Saif Ghobash–Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation, is an annual award presented to a translator for the published English translation of a full-length literary work in Arabic.
The prize was established in 2006 by the literary magazine Banipal, which promotes the dissemination of contemporary Arabic literature through English translations, alongside the Banipal Trust for Arab Literature. It is administered by the Society of Authors in the UK, which also oversees several other literary translation prizes.
The prize is sponsored by Lioudmila Ghobash, Saeed Saif Ghobash and Maysoune Saif Ghobash in memory of HE the Late Saif Ghobash.
Winners and nominees
= winner2006
- Humphrey Davies: Gate of the Sun by Elias Khoury
- Hala Halim: Clamor of the Lake by Mohamed el-Bisatie
- Paul Starkey: Stones of Bobello by Edwar al-Kharrat
2007
- Farouk Mustafa : The Lodging House by Khairy Shalaby
- Marilyn Booth: Thieves in Retirement by Hamdi Abu Golayyel
- Peter Theroux: Saraya, The Ogre’s Daughter by Emile Habiby
2008
- Fady Joudah: The Butterfly’s Burden by Mahmoud Darwish
- Ghassan Nasr: The Journals of Sarab Affan by Jabra Ibrahim Jabra
- Nancy Roberts: The Man from Bashmour by Salwa Bakr
2009
- Samah Selim: The Collar and the Bracelet by Yahya Taher Abdullah
- Michelle Hartman: Wild Mulberries by Iman Humaydan Younes
- Elliott Colla: Gold Dust by Ibrahim al-Koni
2010
Source:- Humphrey Davies: Yalo by Elias Khoury
- Humphrey Davies: Sunset Oasis by Bahaa Taher
- Kareem James Abu-Zeid: Cities without Palms by Tarek Etayeb
2011
Source:- Khaled Mattawa: Selected Poems by Adonis
- Barbara Romaine: Spectres by Radwa Ashour
- Maia Tabet: White Masks by Elias Khoury
2012
Source:- Roger Allen: A Muslim Suicide by Bensalem Himmich
- Humphrey Davies: I Was Born There, I Was Born Here by Mourid Barghouti
2013
Source:- Jonathan Wright: Azazeel by Youssef Ziedan
- William Maynard Hutchins: A Land Without Jasmine by Wajdi al-Ahdal
2014
Source:- Sinan Antoon: The Corpse Washer by Sinan Antoon
- Paula Haydar: June Rain by Jabbour Douaihy
Judges: Paul Blezard-Gymer, Lulu Norman, Samuel Shimon, Jonathan Wright
2015
Source:- Paul Starkey for The Book of the Sultan's Seal: Strange Incidents from History in the City of Mars by Youssef RakhaLand of No Rain by Amjad Nasser, trans. Jonathan Wright
Judges: Robin Ostle, Samira Kawar, Alastair Niven, Susannah Tarbush.
2016
Source:- Jonathan Wright for his translation of the novel The Bamboo Stalk by Saud Alsanousi
Judges: Paul Starkey, Lucy Popescu, Zahia Smail Salhi, Bill Swainson,
2017
Source:- Robin Moger for The Book of Safety by Yasser Abdel HafezThe Dove's Necklace by Raja Alem, trans. Katharine Halls and Adam Talib No Knives in the Kitchens of This City by Khaled Khalifa, trans. Leri Price Limbo Beirut by Hilal Chouman, trans. Anna Ziajka Stanton
2018
Source:The President's Gardens by Muhsin Al-Ramli, tr. Luke Leafgren Concerto al-Quds by Adonis, tr. Khaled Mattawa Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi, tr. Jonathan Wright Using Life by Ahmed Naji, tr. Ben KoerberLonglist
In Jerusalem and Other Poems by Tamim al-Barghouti, translated by Radwa Ashour, Tamim al-Barghouti, Ahdaf Soueif No Road to Paradise by Hassan Daoud, translated by Marilyn Booth Divine Names by Luay Abdul-Ilah, translated by Judy Cumberbatch Hend and the Soldiers by Badriah Albeshr, translated by Sanna Dhahir The American Quarter by Jabbour Douaihy, translated by Paula Haydar The Apartment in Bab el-Louk by Donia Maher, translated by Elisabeth Jaquette Suslov's Daughter by Habib Abdulrab Sarori, translated by Elisabeth Jaquette Tales of Yusuf Tadrus by Adel Esmat, translated by Mandy McClure All The Battles by Maan Abu Taleb, translated by Robin Moger Embrace on Brooklyn Bridge by Ezzedine C. Fishere, translated by John Peate Gaza Weddings by Ibrahim Nasrallah, translated by Nancy Roberts Farewell, Damascus by Ghada Samman, translated by Nancy Roberts Bled Dry by Abdelilah Hamdouchi, translated by Benjamin Smith The Blueness of the Evening: Selected Poems of Hassan Najmi by Hassan Najmi, translated by Mbarek Sryfi and Eric Sellin Fractured Destinies by Rabai al-Madhoun, translated by Paul Starkey The Baghdad Eucharist by Sinan Antoon, translated by Maia TabetJudges: Pete Ayrton, Georgia de Chamberet, Fadia Faqir and Sophia Vasalou.
2019
Source: Death is Hard Work by Khaled Khalifa, translated by Leri Price Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi, translated by Marilyn Booth My Name is Adam: Children of the Ghetto Volume 1 by Elias Khoury, translated by Humphrey Davies Jokes for the Gunman by Mazen Maarouf, translated by Jonathan WrightJudges: Ghazi Gheblawi, Dr Jan Fortune, Abla Oudeh, Catherine Taylor.
2021
The shortlist was announced on 24 November 2021. The jury consisted of Roger Allen, Rosemarie Hudson, Ronak Hosni, and Caroline McCormick. The winner was announced on 12 January 2022.Voices of the Lost by Hoda Barakat translated by Marilyn Booth The Girl with Braided Hair by Rasha Adly, translated by Sarah Enany A Bed for the King’s Daughter by Shahla Ujayli, translated by Sawad Hussain \The Frightened Ones by Dima Wannous, translated by Elisabeth Jaquette God99 by Hassan Blasim, translated by Jonathan Wright2022
The shortlist was announced on 1 December 2022. The jury consisted of Charis Olszok, Susheila Nasta, Katharine Halls, and Becki Maddock. The winners were announced on 12 January 2023.- Mohamed Kheir, Slipping translated by Robin Moger
- Hamdi Abu Golayyel, The Men Who Swallowed the Sun translated by Humphrey Davies
- Yassin Adnan, Hot Maroc translated by Alexander E. Elinson
2023
The shortlist was announced on 1 December 2023, with the jury consisting of Ros Schwartz, Tony Calderbank, Sarah Enany, and Barbara Schwepcke.- Najwa Barakat, Mister N translated by Luke Leafgren
- Sonallah Ibrahim, The Turban and the Hat translated by Bruce Fudge
- Jabbour Douaihy, Firefly translated by Paula Haydar and Nadine Sinno
- Jabbour Douaihy, The King of India translated by Paula Haydar
- Bushra al-Maqtari, What Have You Left Behind? translated by Sawad Hussain
- Sonia Nimr, Thunderbird translated by M Lynx Qualey