Can't quite agree that all tralated texts are worse, I've done translations (of some pretty poor texts) where the quality of the final product was far more succinct than the original. These texts were, or course of an informative style.
I started reading some geezer's translation of Umberto Eco'
s 'L'ISOLA DEL GIORNO PRIMA', and ouch... I got to about page 80 and gave the book back to the friend. I've since read a Spanish-German translation, ...far better. The worst thing about the English translation was that it was good enough to let you realise he was desecrating an excellent work. I still shudder at the thought.