Hope for the best , Prepare for the worst

[illdiablo]

Ok , So if anyone is curious I had these two phrases translated and proof read by multiple latin language professors at a professional translation company in Italy ...at substantial cost...I'm kinda a perfectionist like that....so

"Hope for the best , Prepare for the worst"

is

"Sperare optimum , Pessimum exspectare"

and

"We're allways in the shit , It's the depth that varies"

is

"Semper in stercore sumus , Sed altitudo modo variat"

I'd still like to get some reactions from everyone on what they think of these translations

Thanks again to everyone that had imput!

 

[QMF]

Apparently that's a pretty poor translation company, as that first translation is infinitives. (It's literally "to hope for the best, to expect the worst." In Latin it makes even less sense than that.) You want imperatives...maybe they are just bad at English. The second works, though merda really does echo the vulgarity of "shit" better.

 

[kmp]

Ok , So if anyone is curious I had these two phrases translated and proof read by multiple latin language professors at a professional translation company in Italy ...at substantial cost...I'm kinda a perfectionist like that....so

"Hope for the best , Prepare for the worst"

is

"Sperare optimum , Pessimum exspectare"

and

"We're allways in the shit , It's the depth that varies"

is

"Semper in stercore sumus , Sed altitudo modo variat"

I'd still like to get some reactions from everyone on what they think of these translations

Thanks again to everyone that had imput!

Unlike qmf, I don't think the infinitives "sperare" and "expectare" are necessarily wrong. I feel that infinitives are often used to give a general rather abstract idea of something and this applies especially in mottoes. However, as qmf says, exspectare means to "expect" or "wait for" - in no way does it mean "prepare".

So I have to say the professional translation is actually worse than the suggestions made here.

As for the second translation, it's pretty well exactly like the ones already made here - only the word for you-know-what is changed. And, as qmf says, it's merda that has the more colloquial force.

So I think you've gained very little for your money.