Re: Help with translation: Always be true to yourself
PurGa dixit:
QN 1) Which do you think is preferable, (a) which seems to mean 'Always live according to your character/nature; OR which would you prefer from (b) - (d)?
Suggestion number 1 was just a thought I spammed in without reading your original request. I think it's a bit too far off if you want to translate the Shakespeare quote. I'm not entirely sure about the word "verax" ... it's not very common and you often seem to find it in connection with words like "oracle" or "promise" etc. I like (b) best, even though I could think of a dozen other ways to translate that quote.
QN 2) The middle two seem to use the future imperative. Could anyone explain:
(i) why this is preferable to the present imperative, AND
(ii) whether the verb is still OK in the fut imperative if 'semper' is used.
The imperative of
esse is
es, which looks exactly like the 2nd person singular indicative. I suppose that's why you usually find
esto instead. This is entirely acceptable. Latin did the same with
scire somehow (where
scito was used as the imperative).
Imperatives are usually considered future tempora anyway, not matter whether they're regular or future ones. Of course, using
semper here is ok.
QN 3) Does anyone know what the correct translation is of (d) which I understand is 'softer'?
"
may you always be someone who proclaims the truth to himself"
This is used instead of the imperative as well, sometimes. Technically, it's a wish rather than an actual command.
QN 4) If you think you may have a better translation - let me know!
Not necessarily a better translation, but if you want to add some emphasis, you may use a hendiadyoin, which is sometimes done with fidelis & fidus:
Semper tibi ipsi fidelis esto ac fidus
or as an hexametre:
Numquam ne tibi sis fidus maneasque fidelis