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piggybacking empties (about containers)
recorded testimony
Mar 14, 2008 19:10
16 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term

not getting one's just reward

English Art/Literary Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Hi, all!
This comes after a question posted in the Greek-English pair has had me racking my brain to no avail.
We are trying to translate a Greek idiom which literally says “he got to the spring but did not drink any water”. And it means that he was deprived of the chance to enjoy the fruits of his labour.
We are looking for an English (near-)equivalent, and not a nice way of phrasing an explanation.
It hasn’t much to do with either Sisyphus or Tantalus.
Pity you haven’t got an idiom like “he struggled all the way to heaven’s gates only to find they were closed for the day”. :-)
Do you have anything like the Greek idiom?
Responses
3 +3 When he got there, the cupboard was bare.
4 failing to reap the seeds of his labo(o)r
4 he got to the well but the bucket fell
3 fattening frogs for snakes

Discussion

Nick Lingris (asker) Mar 22, 2008:
Bible-wise, I got as far as Moses: "he got to see the Promised Land, but not to enter it". The Greek idiom itself does not seem to have a near-equivalent in English, though I like Jack's nursery rhyme. The translator in the Greek pair was working on some tourist brochure and was happy with "it's like going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower". Thank you all very much for your bright ideas.
Gary D Mar 15, 2008:
He toiled tirelessly only to seek no reward.
Mihaela Ghiuzeli Mar 15, 2008:
If we can't find it ,can we "adapt" an existent one ? "so much pain/a lot of pain for no gain"? So far, out of luck.
Jack Dunwell Mar 14, 2008:
OK then just this one...Proverbs 19:24 "I reap where I sowed not and gather where I have not strawed".
Then Fuller ,1732 "Another threshed what I reaped"
Nick Lingris (asker) Mar 14, 2008:
I never mentioned 'biblical' (I probably would have known the biblical equivalent). When I mentioned 'the book of proverbs', I didn't mean the 'Book of Proverbs'. Not in the biblical sense. :-)
Jack Dunwell Mar 14, 2008:
Nick, you're not going to get a biblical proverb from this, because they deal with hope, leadership, advice, they are "positive" not "well that's life"
Jack Dunwell Mar 14, 2008:
What do you Really want N Lingris ? Biblical or Idiomatic?
David Hollywood Mar 14, 2008:
Biblical it is and will keep searching :)

Responses

+3
39 mins
Selected

When he got there, the cupboard was bare.

Based on the nursery rhyme.

Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard
To fetch her poor doggie a bone.
But when she got there.
the cupboard was bare,
And so the poor doggie had none.
Peer comment(s):
agree Vicky Nash
1 hr
Thank you.
agree kmtext : Sounds pretty close to the poster's request.
18 hrs
Thank you.
agree Phong Le
1 day 5 hrs
Thank you.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you, Jack. Nursery rhymes are a huge lacuna in a non-native speaker's knowledge."
4 mins

failing to reap the seeds of his labo(o)r

:)

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Note added at 5 mins (2008-03-14 19:15:26 GMT)
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"labo(u)r"

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Note added at 6 mins (2008-03-14 19:16:38 GMT)
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very interesting one and still searching for better options :)


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Note added at 9 mins (2008-03-14 19:19:44 GMT)
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although I think this might be ok ...

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Note added at 14 mins (2008-03-14 19:24:53 GMT)
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how about: "did not/failed to reap his just reward"

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Note added at 18 mins (2008-03-14 19:28:11 GMT)
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can't come up with anything literal athough translation of the original Biblen is a translation too so ....

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Note added at 18 mins (2008-03-14 19:28:44 GMT)
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"Bible"
Note from asker:
Thanks, David. I actually thought of "He sowed the seeds but never got the chance to reap the fruits", but I'm looking for something more idiomatic, if possible out of the book of proverbs :-)
Something went wrong...
52 mins

fattening frogs for snakes

apparently a Blues number, possibly Big Bill Broonzy

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Note added at 57 mins (2008-03-14 20:07:59 GMT)
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OK it's Sonny Boy Williamson II
"It took me a long time, to find out my mistakes
Took me a long time to find my mistakes
It sho'h did man
But I bet you my bottom dollar
I'm not fattenin no more frogs for snakes" Woah

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-03-14 20:16:45 GMT)
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"Heaven's Gates ....closed "is really good
"Bought her dinner. Didn't see her again"
"Proz'd my heart out but they went for the sugary sweet talk"
Note from asker:
It does not have to be biblical, but the register should be close. The Greek is more like folk wisdom than urbandictionary idiom.
Something went wrong...
21 hrs

he got to the well but the bucket fell

Well, I made it up, but it has the effort, water, no reward, failure elements in it. :-)
Something went wrong...
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