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  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

die innere Heiterkeit des Menschen

English translation: true serenity

18:00 Apr 25, 2008
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / Quotation
German term or phrase: die innere Heiterkeit des Menschen
The following quotation by Ferdinando Galiani is being used in a marketing brochure that I'm translating for a financial services provider:

Die innere Heiterkeit des Menschen, die wahre Heiterkeit - die etwas ganz anderes ist als die Lustigkeit - entsteht nur, wenn der Mensch sich für die Gegenwart und Zukunft in Ruhe und Sicherheit weiß.

I'm assuming that the original quotation was in Italian, but does anyone know whether it has been translated into English? I just wanted to check that no standard translation exists before translating it myself.
bzauner
Local time: 11:31
English translation:true serenity
Explanation:
serenity = innere Gelassenheit und Heiterkeit

Attempt:
"True serenity – not to be confused with for cheerfulness – can only be achieved if you (one) feel(s) safe in the present and confident about the future "

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Note added at 4 hrs (2008-04-25 22:56:41 GMT)
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wstrike the "for"
Selected response from:

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 02:31
Grading comment
I really liked serenity as a translation of Heiterkeit in this context, and based my translation of the quotation on your suggestion - many thanks!
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1true serenity
Johanna Timm, PhD
4the joviality of human being
babli
2inner cheeriness
Lirka


  

Answers


3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
Die innere Heiterkeit des Menschen... (quotation)
inner cheeriness


Explanation:
Really do not know if it has been translated already, I did not find it anywhere. I would just go ahead and translate it. Even if it has been, maybe yours will be better ;)

Lirka
Austria
Local time: 11:31
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Die innere Heiterkeit des Menschen... (quotation)
true serenity


Explanation:
serenity = innere Gelassenheit und Heiterkeit

Attempt:
"True serenity – not to be confused with for cheerfulness – can only be achieved if you (one) feel(s) safe in the present and confident about the future "

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2008-04-25 22:56:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

wstrike the "for"

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 02:31
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 90
Grading comment
I really liked serenity as a translation of Heiterkeit in this context, and based my translation of the quotation on your suggestion - many thanks!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Bernhard Sulzer: the challenge here is def. "Heiterkeit" ; I thought of joy and happiness but they just didn't seem to fit; I was not able to find an Italian or French original. Would be interesting. :)
2 days 6 hrs
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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the joviality of human being


Explanation:


Heiterkeit also means cheeriness, Exhiliration, jocularity.


    Reference: http://leo.dict
babli
Local time: 15:01
Native speaker of: Native in HindiHindi
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