Inspirational “Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.”

socratidion

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... this one not so much invented as drawn from another language: hence 'calque'.
 

Pacifica

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Isn't every translation a calque, then? I agree that some idioms don't make sense when translated word-for-word and that it's something to be avoided (you're not going to translate "it's raining cats and dogs" as pluit feles et canes), but metaphors are still something a bit different... sometimes when they're very bold they shock me, but this one doesn't (I think the idea behind it might have been understood by a Roman. The past, among other things, contains things you've done, and the future contains things you're going to do - in any language I think). But well... I can understand your hesitation.
 

Albertus

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I think that the quote is this: ''There is no Saint without a past, no sinner without a future.'' I searched for the supposed original Latin of Saint Augustine, but couId not find it. So I would translate the saying thus: ''Nullus Sanctus sine praeterito, nec peccator sine futuro.'' It is a rather direct translation from English back into understandable church Latin. I hope that this helps!
 
 

Matthaeus

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No, that doesn't work.
 

syntaxianus

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Giving up on the clever English wordplay and going for the content, I suggest this:

est cuique sancto paenitendi et cuique peccatori sperandi causa.

There is for each saint (a reason for) repenting, and for each sinner a reason for hoping.
 

Pacifica

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Your use of cuique seems a tad unusual. I would say omni instead.
 

syntaxianus

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Your use of cuique seems a tad unusual. I would say omni instead.
Okay, that is a good topic for further research. Perhaps a better solution is

omni homini sancto, praeterita paenitenda
et omni homini peccatori, futura speranda.


There is for every person who is holy, a past to be repented of
and for every person who is a sinner, a future to be hoped for.
 
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