This article explores the role of translation in the development of Egyptian jurisprudence during the Nahda, from the nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. The Civil Codes of 1883 and 1948 are analyzed as case studies of two translation trends that grappled with the contentious issue of modernity and traditionalism through reflecting disparate mechanisms for cultural exchange and language modernization. The article demonstrates how the two codes enact distinct ideological norms shaped by their underlying socio-political agendas, while highlighting the contribution of Jurist 'Abd al-Razzaq al-Sanhuri in deploying the translation policy of co-drafting in the latter code towards ideological decolonization.