Translation Request…Again..I know it gets old. Sorry.

[james]

Taim fear briste ach le gra ta slan agam.

I am a broken man but through love I am made whole.

First attempt. I haven’t been on here in years so the new layout has me confused with how to insert fadas.

Thanks,

Is mise…James

[Héilics Órbhuí]

Is fear briste mé ach slánóidh an grá mé
nó
Is fear briste mé ach déanfaidh an grá slán mé
nó
Is fear briste mé ach le cúnamh grá beidh mé slán

My first attempts. At the very least you’ll need to use a copula instead of tá as the first part of your sentence.

[james]

Agreed re: the copula. I thought of that after posting.

[james]

Is Aonghus still hanging around this board? Or Lughaidh?

I’d love to get their input.

[Seáiní]

You’ll get many opinions on this one! But not tá mé fear

My efforts (not all exact translations)

Tá mé (táim) i m’fhear annamh, ach dá dtabharfaí dom an grá bheinn i mo shásamh …if i was given love i would be fulfilled , satisfied etc

Tá mé i m’fhear cráite go dtaga an grá
Go dtabharfaí dom an grá
Go dtuga dom an grá a bhainfeadh díom an crá
Go dtuga(idh) dom an grá a bhainfeadh díom mo chrá ….may i be given the love that would take away my torment….anguish etc

[james]

What I’m after is the broken aspect.

Broken but healed (made whole) through love.

This is going on skin (at 52 years of age…) so it has to be correct.

[Onuvanja]

There’s a well-known Irish proverb “Níl aon leigheas ar an ngrá ach pósadh” (“there is no cure for love, except marriage”). You could tweak it to say something like “Níl aon leigheas ar bhriseadh chroí ach grá” (“there is no cure for a broken heart, except love”).

I also came across a phrase “is é an grá an tinneas agus an leigheas” (“love is both the disease and the cure”) on the Internet, which kind of covers both the hurting and healing aspects. But then it’s up to you to see if that conveys the right sentiment.

In any case, the problem with such phrases is that target language idioms might not correspond 100% to the English version, but if you translate the phrase literally it will sound awkward.

[james]

I understand the idiomatic translations are problematic.

What I’m after is not the broken heart…but broken in every sense…heart, mind, body….and that love…of all kinds, Spiritual, familial, romantic….they are all part of the healing process.

So…that’s what I’m sticking with something simple.

I am a broken man, but through love I am made whole.

Is fear briste me seems pretty straightforward. It’s the “made whole” aspect that I want to capture which is why I think “slan” or some derivative would convey that meaning.

Thoughts?

[james]

Is fear briste mé ach slánóidh an grá mé

This seems the closest to what I’m trying to convey…

If I can get two or three general agreements on the structure and translation…..??

[Héilics Órbhuí]

Incidentally, I just realized De Bhaldraithe has “A broken man” = “fear creachta” (i.e. ruined man). This is what you want instead of “briste”.

[james]

Excellent catch…thank you!!!

Is fear creachta mé ach slánóidh an grá mé

[Author]

Posts