Translation help please

Latin Learning Latin
1

Hi all,

I’m looking for a good translation of this this phrase:

“If you have to work, this is a good place to be.”

I came up with: “si tu debeas laborare, huc locus bonus est”.

Does this make sense, or can anyone improve on it?

Thanks

2

SI LABORANDVMST TIBI, OPTIME ADVENISTI.

3

I think you want “hic locus” because “hûc” (hither) carries a sense of “to”. I don’t think you want “hîc” (here).
I think Matthaeus’s translation is lovely. Just note that “laborandumst” is an informal, spoken “laborandum est” and, if you don’t want the superlative nature of “optimè”, you can use “pulchrè”, I would think. Note that Mattaeus’s translation works if you’re talking to someone who has just arrived at a place,—sort of “you are coming to the right place”. But if I’m writing to tell you what a good place this is, it can make sense in the general sense of “one comes”. The context can change how you would translate, and “bonus hic locus” would be straightforward, but leaves out the potential sense that the “to be” carries in English. If you wanted that, you might say “bonus tibi/cuicunque hic locus”, I think, or “in rem tuam hic locus” or otherwise.

“Huc” adverbium motionem requirit. Nonnè “hic locus” dicere vis?
Perbonum quod Matthaeus scripsit, nisi “laborandum est” et “pulchrè” substituas, at nihil refert. Nota quoquè: aptum est quod suadet ei solo qui alicui advenienti loquitur. Sic in litteris non scribas nisi generaliter. Quod contextus omnia mutet, vel possit facere,—quo in casu, securum “bonus hic locus”. Omittitur autem potentialitatis sensus anglicè “to be” infinitivo contentus. Si sensum illum adtineas, “bonus tibi/cuicunque hic locus” vel “in rem tuam hic locus” vel aliter id faciat.

4

Si laborandum est hic est locus idoneus or
Si laborandum hic locus idoneus
Si laborandum hic locus dignus


I like “ideonus” because it specifies in what sense it is good

we can skip the “tibi” because in the frase “if you have to work” is more or less equivalent to if One has to work - its a general “you”

best to all…

5

Thanks for all the suggestions. This site is a great help.