Non-literary texts submitted for translation are often so inaccurate and muddled in their formulation that they call for exegesis and in-depth rewriting. This sometimes demands a high degree of creative imagination in the translators. This article considers three instances in different areas: an advertisement for a paying guest agency, a popularizing book in neuro-linguistic programming, and the abstract of a film script. In each case meaning has to be retrieved behind the words as used in the texts and rephrased so as to be immediately understandable. The context has to be taken into account: who wants what, and what will they pay for it? Finally, the author concludes with some general considerations on the skills required.