翻译（英语：Translation）是蛋白质生物合成（基因表达中的一部分，基因表达还包括转录）过程中的第一步。翻译是根据遗传密码的中心法则，将成熟的信使RNA分子（由DNA通过转录而生成）中「碱基的排列顺序」（核苷酸串行）解码，并生成对应的特定氨基酸串行的过程。但也有许多转录生成的RNA，如转运RNA、核糖体RNA和小核RNA等并不被翻译为氨基酸串行。

翻译的过程大致可分作三个阶段：起始、延长、终止。翻译主要在细胞质内的核糖体中进行，氨基酸分子通过转运RNA被带到核糖体上。生成的多肽链（即氨基酸链）需要通过正确折叠形成蛋白质，许多蛋白质在翻译结束后还需要进行翻译后修饰才能具有真正的生物学活性。

In molecular biology and genetics, translation is the process in which cellular ribosomes create proteins.

In translation, messenger RNA (mRNA)—produced by transcription from DNA—is decoded by a ribosome to produce a specific amino acid chain, or polypeptide. The polypeptide later folds into an active protein and performs its functions in the cell. The ribosome facilitates decoding by inducing the binding of complementary tRNA anticodon sequences to mRNA codons. The tRNAs carry specific amino acids that are chained together into a polypeptide as the mRNA passes through and is "read" by the ribosome. The entire process is a part of gene expression.