Do not work hard, work smart.

[EmilioEstevez]

Hello everyone,

as I have no education in the Latin language, I hope I might find some help here.

The Phrase I want to translate is :
"Do not work hard, work smart."

If further specifications are required, feel free to ask me.

 

[AoM]

Not entirely sure yet, but I'm thinking of a mind/body distinction.

 

[EmilioEstevez]

Yes, that is indeed what is intended.

 

[Adrian]

mentis nec corporis viribus labores

 

[EmilioEstevez]

Be thanked!

I understand that what your translation literally means is something like "It is the mind and not the body who should work hard" . Is that correct?

 

[Imperfacundus]

''Work using your mind's strength, not your body's.''
There may be more literal ways to translate your original request...

 

[Adrian]

''Work using your mind's strength, not your body's.''
There may be more literal ways to translate your original request...

You mean something along
Ne dura labores
Ingenia adiungas

 

[EmilioEstevez]

Okay, cool. Would that mean something like " Do not endure work. Apply Intelligence." ?

 

[Glabrigausapes]

mentis nec corporis viribus labores

Doesn't that 'nec' rather mean 'work with (neither) body's strength nor mind's'?

I should say:

ne ardue sed fabre laborato
'Work not hard, but craftily'

 

[EmilioEstevez]

Well, thank you. This is even a bit closer to the original way it was phrased.

 

[Dantius]

Doesn't that 'nec' rather mean 'work with (neither) body's strength nor mind's'?

That would require nec...nec. Here it's "with the mind's strength and not with the body's".
The relevant L+S passage:
In contrasts, but not, not however (class.): ubi aetas tantum modo quaestui neque luxuriae modum fecerat, Sall. C. 24, 3: gloriosa modo neque belli patrandi, id. J. 88, 4: consulatus sine ulla patrum injuriā, nec sine offensione fuit, Liv. 3, 55, 1: oppida oppugnata nec obsessa sunt, id. 5, 12, 5; Plin. Ep. 3, 1, 9; Quint. 8, 6, 74; Tac. Agr. 8.

 

[Glabrigausapes]

Yeesh.