This paper offers a global view of Antonio José Navarro as a priest, scientist and translator. He was a prominent enlightened priest, representative of the Spanish XVIII century. However, his secret and strong efforts were devoted to science and nature, following the steps of the French Naturalist School. He was a passionate naturalist concerned with the well being of his fellow countrymen. Science was the path to fulfil this endeavour, and translation the best tool to achieve it. He used translation in different ways: as scientific data and research, and a methodological basis for his findings. Nevertheless, to Navarro, translation was not a mere carrier of ideas and texts, he had the ability to enrich them with his personal observations of nature.