The translation of official documents from foreign languages serves as an aid for understanding their use in a different language and cultural area and is today an essential area of work for freelance translators. Certificates are language documents that document and, if necessary, enforce a socially and legally relevant right of a natural or legal person. The interpersonal coexistence of modern societies is based at all levels on such evidential papers; "from the cradle to the grave," our existence depends on them. Since all these texts are tied to the applicable legal system of the respective country, the translation of certificates falls under legal translation. Without the appropriate substantive knowledge, adequate translation in this area is not possible.