Das Haupthindernis ist, dass wir zu schnell mit uns zufrieden sind
English translation: Our stumbling block is that we are too easily content with ourselves
| 21:30 May 17, 2005 |
| German to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Seneca quote | |||||||
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|  Selected response from: Stefan Tobler (X) Local time: 04:58 | ||||||
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| Discussion entries: 2 | |
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Answers
3 mins confidence: 
peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1| Das Haupthindernis ist, dass wir zu schnell mit uns zufrieden sind (Seneca) The main obstacle is that we are content/satisfied with ourselves too soon Explanation: ;-) obviously a draft ... -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 6 mins (2005-05-17 21:36:26 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- BTW, Seneca is not a Spanish playwright but rather a Roman playwright, orator, and philosopher ... http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/clsc50.html -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 8 mins (2005-05-17 21:38:10 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- instead of *obstacle*, you could also use *impediment* or *hindrance* |
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32 mins confidence:
| Das Haupthindernis ist, dass wir zu schnell mit uns zufrieden sind (Seneca) The biggest hurdle is that we are too readily self-satisfied Explanation: just another suggestion for you to consider :-) |
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52 mins confidence:
| Das Haupthindernis ist, dass wir zu schnell mit uns zufrieden sind (Seneca) that is the chief obstacle, that we are too soon content with ourselves Explanation: Letters to Lucilius Sen.epist.59,11-12 Seneca Lucilio suo salutem ****Illud praecipue impedit, quod cito nobis placemus***: si invenimus, qui nos bonos viros dicat, qui prudentes, qui sanctos, agnoscimus. Non sumus modica laudatione contenti: quidquid in nos adulatio sine pudore congessit, tamquam debitum prendimus. Optimos nos esse, sapientissimos adfirmantibus adsentimur, cum sciamus illos saepe multa mentiri; adeoque indulgemus nobis, ut laudari velimus in id, cui contraria cum maxime facimus. Mitisimum ille se in ipsis suppliciis audit, in rapinis liberalissimum et in ebrietatibus ac libidinibus temperantissimum. Sequitur itaque, ut ideo mutari nolimus, quia nos optimos esse credimus. Alexander cum iam in India vagaretur et gentes ne finitimis quidem satis notas bello vastaret, in obsidione cuiusdam urbis, dum circumit muros et inbellicissima moenium quaerit, sagitta ictus diu persedere et incepta agere perseveravit. Deinde cum represso sanguine sicci vulneris dolor cresceret et crus suspensum equo paulatim obtorpuisset, coactus absistere, "Omnes", inquit, "iurant esse me Iovis filium, sed vulnus hoc hominem esse me clamat." Idem nos faciamus! Dicamus: "Vos quidem dicitis me prudentem esse, ego autem video, quam multa inutilia concupiscam, nocitura optem. Ne hoc quidem intellego, quod animalibus satietas monstrat, quis cibo debeat esse, quis potioni modus: quantum capiam, adhuc nescio." quod cito nobis placemus |
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1 hr confidence:
| Das Haupthindernis ist, dass wir zu schnell mit uns zufrieden sind (Seneca) the main obstacle is our rapid self-satisfaction Explanation: another variation to the theme |
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4 hrs confidence:
the main area of concern is that we get satisfied with ourselves too soon...... Explanation: just a variation...... |
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6 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1The main stumbling block is that we become smug too quickly Explanation: I think that "zu schnell" implies action -- or change -- that "sind" does not express. |
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9 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1Our stumbling block is that we are too easily content with ourselves Explanation: and another option for you! The beginning ('The main obstacle is that we...') seemed odd to me in English. I think you'd normally say 'the main obstacle to (happiness, success etc)', not just leave it hanging on its own. So I used a different phrase. |
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10 hrs confidence:
the main obstacle is that we become pleased with ourselves too quickly Explanation: I think zufrieden/content/satisfied are misleading translations. As the original which Janfri has kindly provided shows, the point is that we are *not* easily satisfied with ordinary praise ('non sumus modica laudatione contenti'). On the contrary, we rapidly develop an appetite for praise in the superlative terms of the next couple of sentences, and this is Seneca's meaning: we are too quick to form a high opinion of ourselves. |
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