Could someone please help me with a translation?

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Kweasi

Could someone please help me with a translation?

Post by Kweasi »

I've been trying, in vain, to get this phase translated from english to latin; could someone please help me?

the phase is:
"Life is a Fight".

Thanks for you time,
-Kweasi

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benissimus
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Post by benissimus »

I suppose the simplest choice would be something like pugna est vita.
flebile nescio quid queritur lyra, flebile lingua murmurat exanimis, respondent flebile ripae

whiteoctave
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Post by whiteoctave »

Can't find fault with Benissimus' translation; perhaps replacing "certamen" for "pugna" might highlight more of the struggling aspect, if that's what you're looking for; it may also be niceto have an infinitive:
certamen est vivere - "to live is a struggle".
who knows?

~dave

Kweasi
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Post by Kweasi »

The phase is to be used for a Tatoo; so it's rather crucial that the translation be correct- anything less would prove rather embarrasing!

The idea is to convey that living is a struggle/fight.

Also, I was told that a verb along the lines of "battera" would provide the right meaning; although this could be completely off base.

Thanks so much for you help!
-Kweasi

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benissimus
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Post by benissimus »

I change my mind, the infinitive vivere would be a very good choice here. Certamen may be the word you are looking for, it suggests a struggle and competition. Pugna is quite literally a fight or battle. You definitely shouldn't go with battera, since it is not a Classical Latin word. Whatever of these you choose, it will be accurate, we just want it to be as apt as possible.
flebile nescio quid queritur lyra, flebile lingua murmurat exanimis, respondent flebile ripae

Kweasi
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Post by Kweasi »

"Certamen est vivere", as WhiteOctave suggested does have a nicer rythem when spoken- could anyone else verify that this is the correct translation (just as a matter of certainty).

Thanks so much guys. What a wonderful resource you have here.

-Kweasi

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benissimus
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Post by benissimus »

Just about anything whiteoctave says about Latin is correct ;) This sentence is of such a grammatically simple nature that it is easy to see that there is no flaw in it.
flebile nescio quid queritur lyra, flebile lingua murmurat exanimis, respondent flebile ripae

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