This article was written on the occasion of the conference 'Translation in Transition' in order to give publicity to issues which surround Strachey's translation of Freud's works. Its focus is the debate on the advisability of re-translating the Standard Edition, something that is now possible because of the recent expiry of the copyright on Freud's works. The debate is outlined, and the disadvantages of attempting a new translation weighed up against significant weaknesses in the present one. The latter are briefly illustrated with examples discussed at the conference. The author concludes that each new translation carries the risk of not being an obvious 'improvement' but a different interpretation of the original. The desire for a new translation is nevertheless the function of an inquiring attitude to the study of mental life, as a fresh approach to the texts would inevitably uncover missed areas of knowledge.