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"The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire” – Ferdinand Poch

German translation: die mächtigste Waffe auf Erden ist des Menschen entflammte Seele

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:\"The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire” – Ferdinand Poch
German translation:die mächtigste Waffe auf Erden ist des Menschen entflammte Seele
Entered by: Mech White

15:48 Dec 27, 2010
English to German translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: "The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire” – Ferdinand Poch
This is in an activity book for children, to encourage critical thinking and team spirit.

Does anyone know of an official translation or is able to translate it in a way that sounds just as nice? I am not a poet!

I found the quotation on several web sites, but not translated into German.

Thank you for your help :-)
Mech White
Local time: 15:21
die mächtigste Waffe auf Erden ist des Menschen entflammte Seele
Explanation:
:)
Selected response from:

Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 15:21
Grading comment
Thank you Thayenga, it is a process, isn't it, to arrive at what sounds just right in the context
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4die mächtigste Waffe auf Erden ist des Menschen entflammte Seele
Thayenga
5 +2eine menschliche Seele in Flammen
Eckart Jurk
4Es gibt keine mächtigere Waffe als die menschliche Seele, wenn sie sich für etwas begeistert
Andreas Fliedner
3die mächtigste Waffe dieser Erde, ist die menschliche Seele entflammt/entfacht
Ramey Rieger (X)


Discussion entries: 8





  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"the most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire” – ferdinand poch
die mächtigste Waffe dieser Erde, ist die menschliche Seele entflammt/entfacht


Explanation:
Here's my idea, hope it helps!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 mins (2010-12-27 16:09:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

....die entflammte menschliche Seele......... is supposed to be grammatically correct, but I prefer it the other way around, sounds better. Prehaps with a comma after Seele? That would give it the proper metric accent.

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 15:21
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
"the most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire” – ferdinand poch
eine menschliche Seele in Flammen


Explanation:
Im Deutschen klingt die - einfache - Uebersetzung wunderbar.

"Die maechtigste, die staekste Waffe auf Erden ist die menschliche Seele in Flammen."

Eckart Jurk
Germany
Local time: 15:21
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  erika rubinstein
13 mins
neutral  Ramey Rieger (X): Ich habe meine Schwierigkeiten mit "Seele in Flammen", da es - von Kindersicht her - niederbrennen könnte.
5 hrs
agree  Horst Huber (X): Die beste Wiedergabe von "soul on fire". By contrast, "entflammte Seele" might imply that it is just that to begin with?
9 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
\"the most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire” – ferdinand poch
Es gibt keine mächtigere Waffe als die menschliche Seele, wenn sie sich für etwas begeistert


Explanation:
Dies wäre eine etwas freiere, den Inhalt etwas mehr erklärende Übersetzung. Im letzten Halbsatz könnte man statt *etwas* auch *eine Sache* schreiben.

Andreas Fliedner
Local time: 15:22
Native speaker of: German
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
"the most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire” – ferdinand poch
die mächtigste Waffe auf Erden ist des Menschen entflammte Seele


Explanation:
:)

Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 15:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 10
Grading comment
Thank you Thayenga, it is a process, isn't it, to arrive at what sounds just right in the context

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Roland Nienerza: auch einfach "brennende Seele" -
3 hrs
  -> Geht auch. Danke, Roland. :)
agree  Ramey Rieger (X): Hi Thayenga - doch hänge ich noch an "entfacht"
4 hrs
  -> Es geht wohl beides. Danke, Ramey. :)
agree  Barbara Wiebking: Oder auch normal herum: die entflammte Seele des Menschen.
21 hrs
  -> Das geht natürlich auch. Danke, kriddle. :)
agree  Melanie Meyer
22 hrs
  -> Thank you, Melanie. :)
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