Translating metaphors

Implicit in every metaphor is a comparison involving 5 parts: like a is to b, so x is to y. When translating into languages in which metaphors are seldom or never used, some or all of these parts must be made explicit to make the metaphor understood. Metaphors may be categorized as 1) incidental, 2) repeated, 3) extended, 4) thematic and 5) symbolic; the importance of retaining them being progressively greater from 1) to 5). We may 1) leave the metaphor literal, 2) render it a simile, 3) make explicit one or more of the parts, 4) use a cultural substitute or 5) drop the metaphor and translate the meaning. Making all 5 parts explicit may skew the focus or result in unnatural style.