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La mayor cobardia de un hombre es despertar el amor

English translation: A man who awakens ( ) love ( ) is a real coward

02:53 Nov 11, 2011
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Other
Spanish term or phrase: La mayor cobardia de un hombre es despertar el amor
La mayor cobardia de un hombre es despertar el amor en una mujer, sin intencion de amarla

The biggest or the greatest cowardice of a man is to awake a woman's love without the intention of loving her.
schmetterlich
Local time: 21:43
English translation:A man who awakens ( ) love ( ) is a real coward
Explanation:
The biggest or the greatest cowardice of a man is to awake a woman's love without the intention of loving her.
A man who awakens a woman's love without any intention of loving her is a real coward

My version.
Selected response from:

Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 20:43
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +10the worst form of cowardice in a man is to kindle the flame of love in a woman and then let her down
David Hollywood
5A man who awakens ( ) love ( ) is a real coward
Henry Hinds
4 +1The most cowardly act a man can commit is to awaken the love of a woman, only to forsake her.
James A. Walsh
4There is no greater cowardly act/cowardice than a man who arouses the love
Richard Hill
Summary of reference entries provided
flame of love
Lisa McCarthy

  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
A man who awakens ( ) love ( ) is a real coward


Explanation:
The biggest or the greatest cowardice of a man is to awake a woman's love without the intention of loving her.
A man who awakens a woman's love without any intention of loving her is a real coward

My version.

Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 20:43
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 714
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29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
There is no greater cowardly act/cowardice than a man who arouses the love


Explanation:
Another option

There is no greater cowardly act than a man's arousal of the love of a women he has no intention of loving

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Note added at 31 mins (2011-11-11 03:24:57 GMT)
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I prefer the second option which I changed, while forgetting to change the bold option

Richard Hill
Mexico
Local time: 21:43
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 36
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29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +10
the worst form of cowardice in a man is to kindle the flame of love in a woman and then let her down


Explanation:
I would suggest

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Note added at 32 mins (2011-11-11 03:25:17 GMT)
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or: and then snuff it (to keep the metaphor)

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Note added at 33 mins (2011-11-11 03:26:04 GMT)
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poor woman if that's what happens to her

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Note added at 38 mins (2011-11-11 03:31:21 GMT)
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and should read: snuff it out (otherwise you might think the man croaks/dies lol)

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Note added at 1 hr (2011-11-11 03:54:29 GMT)
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nice to get a poetic one (so rare)

David Hollywood
Local time: 23:43
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 186

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Charles Davis: Very nice, David! "The worst form of cowardice" is just right, IMO.
2 hrs
  -> thanks Charles :)
agree  EirTranslations
4 hrs
  -> gracias Beatriz :)
agree  Jenni Lukac (X): poet!
4 hrs
  -> thanks Jenni :) (love poetry and love to get this type of question)
agree  franglish: perfect except for the colloquial "...and then let her down". Maybe something like "... while withholding his own."
4 hrs
  -> thanks franglish :) I added the "snuff it out" to keep the register ... and like your suggestion too:)
agree  Lisa McCarthy: Nice! for the second half I would suggest "without then nourishing it"
5 hrs
  -> thanks Lisa and good suggestion :)
agree  neilmac: "... before letting her down" could work at the end. I don't think the phrasal verb "let s/o down" is too colloquial, and for me it serves to offset the Cowardian first part.
5 hrs
  -> thanks Neil and fair enough :)
agree  ormiston: + with no thought of loving her (in return)?
7 hrs
  -> another nice one :) thanks ormiston :)
agree  Alistair Ian Spearing Ortiz
7 hrs
  -> thanks Alistair :)
agree  Jenny Westwell: The first part is just right, but then I would go with Ormiston´s ending, which is perfect and keeps the sense of the original.
8 hrs
  -> sounds good to me (still like my "snuff it out" though) ... thanks la acequiera :)
agree  Henry Hinds: I got the points with an accurate but artless (like the original) translation, but I must say I admire your much more creative solution.
4 days
  -> np Henry and thanks :)
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
La mayor cobardía de un hombre es despertar el amor en una mujer, sin intención de amarla.
The most cowardly act a man can commit is to awaken the love of a woman, only to forsake her.


Explanation:
Another take on it.

By the way, I found this word-for-word quotation by Bob Marley:

“The biggest coward of a man is to awaken the love of a woman without the intention of loving her” ~Bob Marley.

Not sure if your text is related?


James A. Walsh
Spain
Local time: 04:43
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 80

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  evelyn beltrán
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Evelyn.
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Reference comments


5 hrs
Reference: flame of love

Reference information:
Love and Romance
www.mydearvalentine.com/love-and-romance/Cached - Similar
Re-ignite the passion in your love or re-**kindle the flame of love** with romance. Such an expression of heart has been given a literary touch by the greatest writers ...

Metamorphoses, Book XI - Research and Read Books, Journals ...
www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=9826055
**Nourish the flame of love that thou hast lit.' ***A kindly breeze wafted his charming prayer; It moved me, I admit, and little time. Was left to succour him. ...

May - My.News24
m.blogs.news24.com/john.henry/2Cached
May each breath I breathe in **nourish the flame of love** and compassion in my heart. May each breath I breathe out nourish the flame of love and compassion in ...

Lisa McCarthy
Spain
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 153
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