This has probably been talked about before on this forum but, I was wondering what the best translation would be for a saying: "Those who live by the sword will die by the sword".

It got me wondering about other popular or classic English sayings (and some from other languages).

My translation of the "live by the/die by the" saying above would probably be:

Se vi vivas per glavo, vi mortigxos per glavo.

Any other suggestions for a better/different translation? Other sayings that might be interesting?

This lead me to remember a German saying (that I've always assumed the English "when the cat's away" saying was derived from (pardon my horrific German - I spoke it a bit years ago and never really wrote it): Wenn die katze ist aus dem hauz, der mauz tanzen auf dem tische.

My apologies to the Germans on the board for sullying their mother tongue. That should be vaguely equivalent to: When the cat is out of the house, the mice dance on the table.

Just an interesting thought thread I had this morning while driving to the office. . .

Gxis!
Kelly

I'd like:

"Kiu per glavo vivas, tiu per glavo mortos."

Or:

"Kiu per glavo vivas, tiun glavo mortigos."

Via,

Daniel

36lima:This has probably been talked about before on this forum but, I was wondering what the best translation would be for a saying: "Those who live by the sword will die by the sword".

It got me wondering about other popular or classic English sayings (and some from other languages).

My translation of the "live by the/die by the" saying above would probably be:

Se vi vivas per glavo, vi mortigxos per glavo.

Any other suggestions for a better/different translation? Other sayings that might be interesting?

This lead me to remember a German saying (that I've always assumed the English "when the cat's away" saying was derived from (pardon my horrific German - I spoke it a bit years ago and never really wrote it): Wenn die katze ist aus dem hauz, der mauz tanzen auf dem tische.

My apologies to the Germans on the board for sullying their mother tongue. That should be vaguely equivalent to: When the cat is out of the house, the mice dance on the table.

Just an interesting thought thread I had this morning while driving to the office. . .

Gxis!
Kelly

Zamenhof's Proverbaro has a saying that seems to give a similar idea to the one about living and dying by the sword:
Kio al unu donas forton, al alia donas morton
[What gives strength to one gives death to another]

There might be a better equivalent in the proverbaro but I don't have time to read it thoroughly; I just did a couple of searches with keywords that I thought might appear in an Esperanto version of that saying.

36lima:This lead me to remember a German saying (that I've always assumed the English "when the cat's away" saying was derived from (pardon my horrific German - I spoke it a bit years ago and never really wrote it): Wenn die katze ist aus dem hauz, der mauz tanzen auf dem tische.

There is a long list of proverbs in the library section of lernu. For the one you mention it gives: "Kiam kato promenas, la musoj festenas." Which preserves the rhyme and translates to: "When a cat goes for a walk, the mice have a feast." Check out that section- there are hundreds of proverbs and sayings translated.

danielcg:I'd like:

"Kiu per glavo vivas, tiu per glavo mortos."

Or:

"Kiu per glavo vivas, tiun glavo mortigos."

Yup, I like that and the excerpt that Erin pointed out from the Proverbaro (which I was not aware of but will check out).

Also, thanks to Mustelvulpo for pointing out the Esperanto version of the "cat's away" verse and the advice to checkout the library on Lernu.

Dankon al Cxuij!

36lima:Wenn die katze ist aus dem hauz, der mauz tanzen auf dem tische.

That would be in proper German: Wenn die Katze aus dem Haus ist, tanzt die Maus auf dem Tische.

However, after some googling it seems to me that the saying goes: ... tanzen die Mäuse auf dem Tisch (with plural mice and without the archaic -e dative singular ending on the "table").

This is a saying of Jesus (Matthew 26:52) which has been translated: ĉiuj, kiuj glavon prenas, per glavo pereos.

darkweasel:

36lima:Wenn die katze ist aus dem hauz, der mauz tanzen auf dem tische.

That would be in proper German: Wenn die Katze aus dem Haus ist, tanzt die Maus auf dem Tische.

However, after some googling it seems to me that the saying goes: ... tanzen die Mäuse auf dem Tisch (with plural mice and without the archaic -e dative singular ending on the "table").

Thanks for posting a correct version. I have to say, I'm fairly impressed with my memory of the saying since it's about twenty years since I was living in Germany.

Tchuss!