Translation to latin; quotes from Confucius

Latin Learning Latin
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I found some quotes by the sage Confucius on the net. I’ll translate a few into latin. In some cases I might not translate perfectly literally but will still try to convey the same idea. Please take the time to comment if you detect any blatent errors or even something that is just awkward. Thanks in advance.

Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.

Omnibus est forma quam tamen multi non vidunt.

Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.

Ut injuriarum obliti sitis, numquam autem beneficiarum.

He who will not economize will have to agonize.

Qui rem suam conservare recusat mox magnis laboribus patietur.
[Should this have been subjunctive?]

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.

Si audio, obliviscor; si video, memini; tantum agendo intellego.

Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.

Animi ignorantia est nox cui tamen nec luna nec sidera

It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.

Nil refert quam tardius progredimini modo non consistatis.
??

Valete

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“vidunt”?

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Great idea. These are fun.

I need some help with this one. The easy choice would have been to use a jussive subjunctive or imperative. Why the ut and the perfect tense? I was thinking maybe you were doing a dependent clause of some time, but then I couldn’t reconcile the autem.

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Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.

Omnibus est forma quam tamen multi non vidunt.

‘vidunt’ non potest esse.

nisi anglice scripsisses, ‘formam’ significare ‘speciem’ putassem, quod enim (magis) placet mihi; quod si distinguere uelis, uerbum clarius elige.

Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.

Ut injuriarum obliti sitis, numquam autem beneficiarum.

‘beneficium’ neutri generis est - non potest ‘beneficiarum’ esse.

He who will not economize will have to agonize.

Qui rem suam conservare recusat mox magnis laboribus patietur.
[Should this have been subjunctive?]

indicatiuom hic quam subiunctiuom admodum malo, at futurum perfectum (recusauerit) quam praesens (recusat).

Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.

Animi ignorantia est nox cui tamen nec luna nec sidera

uidetur adiungi ‘animus’ ad ‘ignorantiam’ cum deceat ad ‘noctem.’ secunda pars quam pulchra est!

It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.

Nil refert quam tardius progredimini modo non consistatis.
??

progrediamini - quaestio indirecta est. ‘modo ne’ pro ‘modo non’.

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Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond, especially to Benissimus for his expert corrections. Well, I have certainly have some egg on my face for that “vidunt” which was inexcusable. There were other errors of course but none so HORRENDUS! In the case of beneficium I knew as I wrote that it was neuter - it just came out femine. As for the other errors, in each case I “knew” the principals of correct usage but neglected to apply them. Thus the value of this type of exercise. It forces you to try write and then to learn by your mistakes. Thanks again. Agendo discimus.

Regarding edonelly’s comments concerning

Ut injuriarum obliti sitis, numquam autem beneficiorum.

I was intending a jussive sub. but was unsure whether ut was required, optional or wrong. As for the tense of oblivisci, because those jussive utterances require a subjunctive and because the verb is defective in the present I was forced to use the perfect subjunctive which in form is identical to the perfect passive subjunctive of a non-deponent verb - nisi fallor.

Obiter, Benissime spectatissime, latinitatem tuam admiror. Qua methodo usus es ad eam adipiscendam?

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Well, I have certainly have some egg on my face for that “vidunt” which was inexcusable. There were other errors of course but none so HORRENDUS! In the case of > beneficium > I knew as I wrote that it was neuter - it just came out femine. As for the other errors, in each case I “knew” the principals of correct usage but neglected to apply them. Thus the value of this type of exercise. It forces you to try write and then to learn by your mistakes. Thanks again. Agendo discimus.

Don’t beat yourself up. I corrected someone once for saying vidi, because I thought it should be visi (and have made some other embarrassing corrections which I won’t mention) :unamused: But the bishop says sentivi, quid igitur mali?

with the ut, it appears to be an optative subjunctive (e.g. “would that…”), which is practically the same thing as a subjunctive command (2nd pers juss), but weaker, and I thought it a nice touch. But now that I think about it, I believe you must use a present subjunctive with this type of optative, or just remove the ut to make it a command, though subjunctive commands are normally in the present tense rather than the perfect (unless they are prohibitions, in which case either will do). I am a little wary of introducing the second command/optative with the embedded negative in numquam rather than ne or neu, but I lack examples and therefore have no reason to correct it. oblivisci is not defective in the present as far as I am aware, unless you count deponence as a defect.

Obiter, Benissime spectatissime, latinitatem tuam admiror. Qua methodo usus es ad eam adipiscendam?

tibi ago gratias, Kynete. paret per numerum horarum innumerabilem quoddam acumen mentis. hoc autem iam nunc scis, es enim latine ualde garrulus.

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Amicis suis inprimis Benissimo S.P.D. Kynetus

Scripsi pluries hoc in foro me memoriae defecto laborare medico testante. Hoc nullum est jocum. Vera dico! Ima nocte somnio experrectus sum. Iacui in lecto cogitans. Aliquid me vexabat sed quid esset nesciebam? Quaedam paulatim senentia ex methodo Assimil (qua his diebus utor) incipiebat in mente apparere. Ex memoria eam produco: “Opportet oblivisci hujusque verbi septies antequam id memineris.” Verba oblivisci et memini in mente volvebam.

Dein “Hercle homo insulsissime!” inquo "Assus es dicere apud nostrum forum verbum oblivisci defectivum esse! Quod falsissimum est! Ex lecto ortus ad computatrum meum properavi ad mendum corrigendum antequam quispiam id videre posset. Sed nimis tarde adveni nam lucubrans, ut videtur, noster Benissimus iam errorem horrendum correxerat!

Itaque a me moderatori scito grates multas iterum sunt agendas quas perlibenter persolvo.

Vobis omnibus bonam noctem opto.
Kynetus Vasintoniensis

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Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.

Admiranda quisque habeat res, quae tamen cunctis nequit diferre.
(could have an absolute of concession without habeat plus possessive dative: admirandis cuique rei…)

You could have “enitere” “effulgere” to shine forth I suppose.

He who will not economize will have to agonize.

Sollicitandum qui non pepercerit

It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.

Paululi constat progredienti velocitas.

hi my name is steven my latin is gay I don’t have any examples though about my usage

A nice thread though, steven where did you learn to respond to people in latin? The only reason I am not is because you are already and it would make me gay if I did the same now!

Kynetus, re: “noster Benissimus iam…horrendum [pilum] correxerat!” are you gay? stop commenting on his rigidity, he is a moderator, show some respect!

EPISCOPVS KYNETO P.S. DICIT

qvidnam tu hominum demulcendis tam avidus harundinibus? ibusbusbus? ar’eis ton ophthalmon sitou autou elabw;

valetoque

what was that there steven? a rather extended use of historical present? the bishop says ‘sentivi’? you have no proof. actually, no idea what you’re referring to there, S.

benissimus has studied latin for many years and doesn’t have a latin a level so he is useless ex omni parte irrespective of his winning your favour, K.

P.S. can’t wait for the new Jojo album to come out, why is she taking so long

~E

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Dear Bishop,

Thanks a lot for your composition work. Especially felicitous was: Paululi constat progredienti velocitas. Euge!

Most, however, of the second half of your post was beyond me - especially the part about steven. Did my SEVERE add get me again so that I didn’t notice someone by that name chiming in on this thread? In any event whatever that’s about, it doesn’t sound too important. Then there was an apparent joke about Benissimus but I’m too thick - so just forget about that too. Yet you did address me personally in the midst of all those mysteries, didn’t you? I did get that much. But I’m not really much of a latinist despite the grandiose pronoucements (stemming from moderate hypomania); I’m really just stubborn bumbler so I’d like to ask you to translate: qvidnam tu hominum demulcendis tam avidus harundinibus? It reminds me a little of that Terentius I’m struggling with. Might the following be close to your meaning? Why [are] you of [all] people so keen on stroking the pipes. And even even if I were close, I still wouldn’t get it. Wherefore, bone vir, kindly help me out. I’ll be grateful. Kynetus Scriba

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Kynete,

Steven, I take it, is benissimus (?). But I’m never really sure whenever the Bishop replies. It usually takes me a couple of weeks to figure out what he means, and even then I miss most of his allusions, which I gather fluctuate between high culture and base reference, and do so very purposely.

(He’s a smart one that Bishop but he should be more clearerest fer da rest uv ar sayx :wink:

Also he appears a wee bit jealous of our benissimus :stuck_out_tongue: :stuck_out_tongue:)

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quid, O N., me maiore et latinitate multo et toris stephani invidere? egomet autem iidem hominum speciei neque sicut ipse neque naturam secundum compages neque faveo neque obstruo. quid tandem mihi candide rationes exponenti adeo peritia pro mea illustriori ingratus nunquam tibi adaequanda obstrepuisti? quapropter te gayius quam stephan gerere cogeris? Quantulum quercum! Quantam tamen insolentiam!

te quam persaepissime aliqua edere latine maxime conatum, K., Episcopus laudat. plures enim abstinere solent ab lingua ipsis espuenda, malunt immo legere tantum quae virorum antehac complecti sunt, quae aptius anglice aliasve in hodiernas iam rediderunt. perge deinde, mi amice, latinitatis triticum etiam in illibentes diffundere!

~E

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having read that and comprehended, I know myself to be insane.

Kynete:
Episcopus sometimes likes to mix in ongoing private jokes with his (un)usual humor, so that only a select few understand what he is saying entirely. Episcopus actually just began his study of Latin a week ago, but he has found that he appears quite intelligent by mixing together random forms. Naturally, those who find the resulting Latin incomprehensible assume him to be better at Latin than they. I did not want to ruin your fun Epi, but you should not abuse Kynetus so!

me paenitet, meo pilo correcto, si quis tremefactus est. I did not notice anyone had noticed my rigor, so I am quite embarrassed (naturally). It was most unbecoming of me, but also of you both to comment.