Vector translation instructions are used to demarcate the beginning and the end of a code region to be translated. The code region includes a first set of vector instructions defined in an instruction set of a source processor. A processor receives the vector translation instructions and the demarcated code region, and translates the code region into translated code. The translated code includes a second set of vector instructions defined in an instruction set of a target processor. The translated code is executed by the target processor to produce a result value, the result value being the same as an original result value produced by the source processor executing the code region. The target processor stores the result value at a location that is not a vector register, the location being the same as an original location used by the source processor to store the original result value.