Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
jemandem kein Haare krümmen
English translation:
to not touch a hair on sb' head
Added to glossary by
PoveyTrans (X)
Jul 27, 2007 10:07
16 yrs ago
German term
PoveyTrans (X)
gekrümmt
German to English
Other
Poetry & Literature
Judaism, Jewish folklore
Legend dating back probably to biblical times. From a series of Jewish folktales.
Unkempt?
Da
sprach der Mann: „Ich will meine Seele darum
geben, um dich am Leben zu erhalten;
ich wähle lieber den Tod, als daß dir ein
Haar gekrümmt werde, denn was ist mein
Leben, wenn ich dich nicht mehr habe. Laß
nun jetzt von mir ab, ich will meine letzten
Bestimmungen treffen, dann will ich dir,
was du wissen willst, offenbaren.“ Und er
ließ bereits seine Freunde rufen, um ihnen
seinen Willen kundzutun.
Unkempt?
Da
sprach der Mann: „Ich will meine Seele darum
geben, um dich am Leben zu erhalten;
ich wähle lieber den Tod, als daß dir ein
Haar gekrümmt werde, denn was ist mein
Leben, wenn ich dich nicht mehr habe. Laß
nun jetzt von mir ab, ich will meine letzten
Bestimmungen treffen, dann will ich dir,
was du wissen willst, offenbaren.“ Und er
ließ bereits seine Freunde rufen, um ihnen
seinen Willen kundzutun.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +3 | s.b. |
Marianne Hartz-Poseck
|
| 3 +2 | bent, or in this context harmed |
Niamh Mahony
|
| 3 +1 | to harm someone |
Manuela Junghans
|
Proposed translations
+3
4 mins
Marianne Hartz-Poseck
Germany
Germany
Native in German
Specializes in field
Germany
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
s.b.
jemandem kein Haare krümmen (krümmen, krümmte, gekrüummt)
not touch a hair on s.o.'s head;
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Note added at 6 mins (2007-07-27 10:13:52 GMT)
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kein *Haar*, natürlich ;-)
not touch a hair on s.o.'s head;
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Note added at 6 mins (2007-07-27 10:13:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
kein *Haar*, natürlich ;-)
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Danke Marinne - that fits (fitted!) in just nicely."
+1
4 mins
Manuela Junghans
Germany
Germany
Native in German
Germany
Personalised services - 24/7
Native in: German 
Works in: English to German, German, Spanish to German
to harm someone
in this case
Or maybe also hurt
Or maybe also hurt
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Nicole Tata
: I would rather choose death than have any harm come to you. I agree that Simon should forget about the bent hairs, they don't translate! ;-)
45 mins
|
|
Thanks Nicole
|
|
| neutral |
Francis Lee (X)
: Yes, that's what it means - but the German is more subtly phrased than simply "zu Schaden käme"/ Yes, we're all aware of that - but perhaps you're unaware that it DOES translate into English (see Niamh's suggestion)// Like it or not, it's a common phrase
1 hr
|
|
Yes, but it has nothing to do with hair really, it´s just a saying that doesn´t literally translate into English./Hmmm? I might rather give in, before it gets all too hairy....
|
+2
5 mins
bent, or in this context harmed
rather than have a hair on your head harmed,
gekrümmt would usually be curved or bent, wouldn't it?
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Note added at 1 hr (2007-07-27 12:07:00 GMT)
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I didn't mean that bent should be considered in this context at all. I only meant that that (or curved etc.) was the usual meaning because Simon had first suggested unkempt.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-07-27 12:33:37 GMT)
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A second reason (see response to Nicole for first) why I think it’s OK to stick with “hair on your head” is because Simon says the legend is Jewish and probably goes back to biblical times. The phrase was used by Christ (himself a Jew): "You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed." (Lk 21: 17-18) and it also appears in Samuel (1 Sam 14:45) But the people said to Saul, "Must Jonathan die, who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, (AU)not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for (AV)he has worked with God this day." So the people rescued Jonathan and he did not die.
gekrümmt would usually be curved or bent, wouldn't it?
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Note added at 1 hr (2007-07-27 12:07:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I didn't mean that bent should be considered in this context at all. I only meant that that (or curved etc.) was the usual meaning because Simon had first suggested unkempt.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2007-07-27 12:33:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
A second reason (see response to Nicole for first) why I think it’s OK to stick with “hair on your head” is because Simon says the legend is Jewish and probably goes back to biblical times. The phrase was used by Christ (himself a Jew): "You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed." (Lk 21: 17-18) and it also appears in Samuel (1 Sam 14:45) But the people said to Saul, "Must Jonathan die, who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, (AU)not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for (AV)he has worked with God this day." So the people rescued Jonathan and he did not die.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Francis Lee (X)
: "see a hair ..." would be better
1 hr
|
|
I agree that "see a hair ..." would be better. Unless one wanted to keep the alliteration (consonance) of the 4 "h"s (have, hair, head, harmed)
|
|
| neutral |
Nicole Tata
: the 'hair on your head' thing doesn't work for me at all. How about 'laying a finger on' instead?
1 hr
|
|
I think it’s good to stick to hair because you can bend, twist or cut a person’s hair without causing them any pain and so that emphasises that the writer doesn’t want her to suffer even the slightest bit of harm or distress.
|
|
| agree |
Rebecca Garber
: I would rather die than allow a single hair on your head to be harmed.
4 hrs
|
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