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Как бы не надорваться

English translation: \"What if you...\" or \"You would have to watch out not to...\" or \"You would risk.

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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Russian term or phrase:	Как бы не
English translation:	\"What if you...\" or \"You would have to watch out not to...\" or \"You would risk.
Entered by:	James McVay

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16:12 Dec 7, 2011

Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Government / Politics

Russian term or phrase: Как бы не надорваться

По мнению Дж.Фридмана, местом блокирования иранских амбиций должен быть не Ирак, где Иран уже имеет преимущество. Это должна быть Сирия. И посему нужно сделать всё возможное, чтобы свергнуть Б.Асада.
Однако Сирия оказалась далеко не Ливией. И творцы «революции» явно выбились из графика. К началу весны уже надо будет вплотную браться за Иран, а на сирийском фронте еще все, фактически, в зародышевом состоянии. История наглядно демонстрирует, что проводить кампанию на двух фронтах одновременно - невероятно сложно. ***Как бы не надорваться*** в революционном азарте. Ведь в таком случае прогноз Дж.Фридмана может стать для Запада суровой реальностью.

I can't seem to get my head around this phrase. Many thanks for any help.

James McVay KudoZ activity Questions: 158 (none open) (6 closed without grading) Answers: 430
Local time: 08:00

You could blow yourself out (here)

Explanation:
I would translate it pretty freely:

You could blow yourself out by trying to do too many revolutions at once.
The danger would be blowing yourself out by ...

Often "как бы" is a "lest" phrase: don't try such-and-such, lest you... But here it's not actually attached to the previous sentence, so you could introduce the idea in any number of ways: "What if you..." or "You would have to watch out not to..." or "You would risk..."

As for the революционный азарт, I would be rather free in translating that, too. I think "doing too many revolutions at once" comes off better in English than some more literal formulation like "in your revolutionary fervor/enthusiasm/zeal".

Selected response from:

Rachel Douglas
United States
Local time: 08:00

Grading comment

It's between Mikhail and Rachel, but I gave the nod to Rachel because her explanation was very helpful. My thanks to all who responded, though.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +2

bust a gut

The Misha

3 +3

bite off more than you can chew

Mikhail Kropotov

3 +2

You could blow yourself out (here)

Rachel Douglas

One should be careful not to overstrain oneself

Olga D.

The trick is not to go up in flames yourself

Laura Friend

one can break its back

erika rubinstein

Discussion entries: 5

Answers

12 mins confidence:

one can break its back

Explanation:
one can bite off more than one can chew

erika rubinstein
Local time: 14:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 4

14 mins confidence:

One should be careful not to overstrain oneself

Explanation:
One should be careful not to overstrain oneself in the revolutionary fervour

Olga D.
Russian Federation
Local time: 16:00
Native speaker of:

Russian

14 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

bite off more than you can chew

Explanation:
I'm pretty sure this could work.

In one's revolutionary excitement one should not bite more off more than one can chew.

Mikhail Kropotov
Russian Federation
Local time: 16:00
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Russian
PRO pts in category: 88

22 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

You could blow yourself out (here)

Rachel Douglas
United States
Local time: 08:00
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 150

Grading comment

It's between Mikhail and Rachel, but I gave the nod to Rachel because her explanation was very helpful. My thanks to all who responded, though.

39 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

bust a gut

Explanation:
That is, if if you want to spice it up a bit. That's what it means literally anyway.

The Misha
Local time: 08:00
Native speaker of:

Russian
PRO pts in category: 27

9 hrs confidence:

The trick is not to go up in flames yourself

Explanation:
(or go down in flames) in (your?) revolutionary zeal.

Laura Friend
United States
Local time: 05:00
Native speaker of:

English

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Как бы не надорваться

English translation: \"What if you...\" or \"You would have to watch out not to...\" or \"You would risk.

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Как бы не надорваться

English translation: \"What if you...\" or \"You would have to watch out not to...\" or \"You would risk.

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Answers

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KudoZ™ translation helpThe KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

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