Memorial Tattoo: Forgiven, but never forgotten

A

Anonymous

Guest

I'm doing a memorial tattoo and I need a phrase translated.The phrase is:
"Forgiven, but never forgotten"

Any help would be greatly appreciated,Thanks.
 

Cicero

New Member

Forgiven, but not forgotten. -> Ignosces, sed non oblivisci.

I'm not positive on this as oblivisci is an unusual form and my rustiness has me rather uncomfortable with it.

Ignosces - (you are) forgiven
sed - but
not - non
forgotten - oblivisci

-- Cicero
 

Iynx

Consularis

  • Consularis

Location:
T2R6WELS, Maine, USA
1. I think, Cicero, that what is wanted here is the perfect participle of your two verbs:

oblitus (rather than the infinitive oblivisci). Of course that would be obliti for a masculine plural, oblita for a feminine singular, and so on.

ignotus (rather than ignosces) also ending-altered on the basis of gender and number.

2. Other than this, I think you answer is fine IF what is being forgiven and not forgotten is an offense of some kind. If what is being forgiven an not forgotten is a person, I don't think ignoscere will do here.

The reason is that the direct object of ignoscere is not the person forgiven but the thing; the person is placed in the dative. The same is true of condonare. If a person is meant, we would have to use some other verb, like absolvo.

It should be noted that besides "forgiven" ignotum" might also mean "unknown", "obscure", "ignoble" or "ignorant". These nuances might be avoided with condonare.

3. To summarize my view for the OP:

Assuming that what is being forgiven but not forgotten is a (singular) "crime" (scelus, which is neuter) we might say

Condonatum sed non oblitum.

If, however, what is being forgiven /not forgotten is a person, or a thing other than a (singular) crime, please get back to us, and we'll put our heads together on the appropriate verbs /endings.

I hope this is helpful.
 
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