National Anthem of the Republic of China

Greetings, follow LatinD forum member.
I have a huge favor to ask for help.
National Anthem of the R.O.C. was written in Classical Chinese so I think the most appropriate way for a translation is translating it into Latin.
And a fun fact to know: the central research institute of R.O.C is offically called "Academia Sinica".

I have an half-machine translation from others and they can't find anyone help, so I would appreciate it if you can help us translate this short song into (Classical) Latin.

San Min Chu-I, finis noster
Res Publica condere, et magnus unitatis conficere
O vos fortes numerosis, in agmina prīmōs estis
tenere propositum, ab solem ad stellas
Fieri diligens et fortam, conservare patriam
Unum cor, una anima, ab initio ad finem
I have an idea translate "Three Principles of People" as "Tridemismus", but of course, your opinions are the most important. Thanks a lot for your help!

The official translation by Theodore B. Tu appears in English-language guides to the R.O.C. published by the government.

Official Translation:
San Min Chu-i,
Our aim shall be:
To found a free land,
World peace, be our stand.
Lead on, comrades,
Vanguards ye are.
Hold fast your aim,
By sun and star.
Be earnest and brave,
Your country to save,
One heart, one soul,
One mind, one goal...

Literal Translation:
Three Principles of the People,
The foundation of our party.
Using [this], [we] establish the Republic;
Using [this], [we] advance into a state of total peace.
Oh, you, righteous men,
For the people, [be] the vanguard.
Without resting day or night,
Follow the Principles.
Swear [to be] diligent; swear [to be] courageous.
Obliged to be trustworthy; obliged to be loyal.
[With] one heart and one virtue,
[We] carry through until the very end...
 

Laurentius

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I tried with the literal translation:

Tria populi principia
partis nostrae fundamenta
rem publicam ita condemus
pacem ita perficiemus.
O vos iusti
populi primores este
noctu diuque vigilate
principia respicite
vos diligentes, vos audaces fore iurate
fide et sinceritate obligati.
Uno animo unaque virtute
usque ad finem perferemus.

See if anyone else has any better ideas or improvements.
 
I tried with the literal translation:

Tria populi principia
partis nostrae fundamenta
rem publicam ita condemus
pacem ita perficiemus.
O vos iusti
populi primores este
noctu diuque vigilate
principia respicite
vos diligentes, vos audaces fore iurate
fide et sinceritate obligati.
Uno animo unaque virtute
usque ad finem perferemus.

See if anyone else has any better ideas or improvements.
Hi, I am a silly question: the comprehension of the "party" in second sentence should be "our people". So is it the correct way to translate is "populorum nostrorum fundamenta" or "populi nostri fundamenta"? I hope I didn't mess up the declension :(
 

Ignis Umbra

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See if anyone else has any better ideas or improvements.
There's a few things I might add/change.
pacem ita perficiemus.
Maybe also add totam for "total peace".
populi primores este
Did you mean populo, as in "be the vanguard for the people"?
principia respicite
Obsequimini would be my choice here.
Hi, I am a silly question: the comprehension of the "party" in second sentence should be "our people". So is it the correct way to translate is "populorum nostrorum fundamenta" or "populi nostri fundamenta"? I hope I didn't mess up the declension :(
It's not a silly question at all (and I actually, when I first learned the word populus, had trouble determining when to use singular and plural ;) )!

In this scenario, since the lyrics refer to one collection of people, the entire nation, then it should be the singular version, populi nostri fundamenta.
 
There's a few things I might add/change.

Maybe also add totam for "total peace".

Did you mean populo, as in "be the vanguard for the people"?

Obsequimini would be my choice here.

It's not a silly question at all (and I actually, when I first learned the word populus, had trouble determining when to use singular and plural ;) )!

In this scenario, since the lyrics refer to one collection of people, the entire nation, then it should be the singular version, populi nostri fundamenta.

I appreciate your valuable opinions! But I have another thing for your suggestion. The term "the state of total peace" has an inherent tanslation as "Great Unity", which means a Chinese utopian vision of the world in which everyone and everything is at peace. It is found in classical Chinese philosophy which has been invoked many times in the modern history of China.

I think there can be more discussion about the sentence totam pacem ita perficiemus? But of course thanks a lot for Laurentius 's contribution!

Huge thanks for both of you and the following comment.
 

Ignis Umbra

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I think there can be more discussion about the sentence totampacem ita perficiemus?
I'm inclined to agree; universam would be better than totam given your above comments and the context of that particular line in the song.
 

Laurentius

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Maybe also add totam for "total peace".
Idk, "totam pacem" doesn't sound really good to me, maybe as you said universam is better. However perficere does have that nuance too, it's not that I didn't translate it. So if you add universam I would change the verb to something less intense like impetrare or conciliare maybe.
Did you mean populo, as in "be the vanguard for the people"?
I figured it sounded more natural with the genitive in Latin, it basically means the same thing anyway.
Obsequimini
would be my choice here.
Yes, principiis obsequimini would be closer to "follow" than respicite (respect, have regard for).
 

Ignis Umbra

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Idk, "totam pacem" doesn't sound really good to me, maybe as you said universam is better. However perficere does have that nuance too, it's not that I didn't translate it. So if you add universam I would change the verb to something less intense like impetrare or conciliare maybe.
Maybe given the context it's indeed ok to omit universam, but I wouldn't think it's excessive.
 

Laurentius

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Maybe given the context it's indeed ok to omit universam, but I wouldn't think it's excessive.
I mean it sounds excessive if you use perficere too, universam alone sounds ok. Still, it's not that it's wrong, just not very elegant in my opinion.
 

Ignis Umbra

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Oh sorry; misunderstood. Yes, universam perficere has a lot of emphasis that probably doesn't fit with the rest of the translation.
 

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