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木を消すりながら自分の命を消する。

English translation: Lit. "Extinguishing your life as you extinguish trees"

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11:22 Jun 10, 2010

Japanese to English translations [Non-PRO]
Poetry & Literature / proverb

Japanese term or phrase: 木を消すりながら自分の命を消する。

What’s the meaning of this phrase?

Gertraud K. KudoZ activity Questions: 32 (none open) Answers: 247 Japan
Local time: 13:25

English translation:Lit. "Extinguishing your life as you extinguish trees"

Explanation:
That's the literal phrase; but it works better in Japanese because the "trees" part comes first, and the same verb can be used both times. The meaning they are getting at, I am presuming, is that each tree someone cuts down is also shortening thier own life due to the environmental effects.

A more poetic version in English might be "whittling away our lives [existance / future etc. might also work] by whittling down our trees," but it really needs to be adapted to fit into whatever context you need it in.