Transliteration Request
- Thread starter Ukigumo
- Start date
- 14 Mar 2002
- 21,050
- 18,903
I'm not very confident in my Japanese. I asked ChatGPT.
The original:
"Si vis pacem, para bellum."
Standard translation:
平和を望むなら、戦いに備えよ。
Heiwa o nozomu nara, tatakai ni sonaeyo.
Closer to the Latin:
平和を望むなら、戦争に備えよ。
Heiwa o nozomu nara, sensō ni sonaeyo.
Classical, proverb-like style:
平和を欲せば、戦いに備えよ。
Heiwa o hosseba, tatakai ni sonaeyo.
I hope it's not for a tattoo.
I assume @Majestic or @Toritoribe could be of more assistance. Toritoribe hasn't been here in over a year, though.
The original:
"Si vis pacem, para bellum."
Standard translation:
平和を望むなら、戦いに備えよ。
Heiwa o nozomu nara, tatakai ni sonaeyo.
Closer to the Latin:
平和を望むなら、戦争に備えよ。
Heiwa o nozomu nara, sensō ni sonaeyo.
Classical, proverb-like style:
平和を欲せば、戦いに備えよ。
Heiwa o hosseba, tatakai ni sonaeyo.
I hope it's not for a tattoo.
I assume @Majestic or @Toritoribe could be of more assistance. Toritoribe hasn't been here in over a year, though.
- 12 Oct 2013
- 4,071
- 5,023
I like all of them.
Maybe the first one is the simplest, and least affected, and therefore the most effective.
This phrase is well known, and attracts a lot of interest from Japanese netizens, so it pops up in a lot of Japanese searches.
The last one I also like, but I'm just a classical Japanese enthusiast and not an expert, so I don't know if its accurate (or if it could be tweaked to be made better). I have a nagging suspicion its close but not quite "classical". I just looked online and saw this one
平和を欲さば、戦への備えをせよ (Heiwa wo hossaba, ikusa he no sonae wo seyo) which scratches the itch a bit better.
Also including @NANGI for his input.
Maybe the first one is the simplest, and least affected, and therefore the most effective.
This phrase is well known, and attracts a lot of interest from Japanese netizens, so it pops up in a lot of Japanese searches.
The last one I also like, but I'm just a classical Japanese enthusiast and not an expert, so I don't know if its accurate (or if it could be tweaked to be made better). I have a nagging suspicion its close but not quite "classical". I just looked online and saw this one
平和を欲さば、戦への備えをせよ (Heiwa wo hossaba, ikusa he no sonae wo seyo) which scratches the itch a bit better.
Also including @NANGI for his input.
Mina-san Konnichiwa！
All the translations are good! Although the words differ slightly, they all mean the same thing.
ja.wikipedia.org
If you want to translate using archaic(Samurai ) language, the following terms would be appropriate.
太平を望まば、戦へ備えよ : Taihei wo Nozomaba, Ikusa he Sonaeyo
The word "heiwa : 平和" was coined during the Meiji era ; prior to that, the term "taihei : 太平" was used.
The term "sensou : 戦争" first came into general use during the Meiji era; prior to that, the term "ikusa : 戦" was used.
However, while the word "ikusa" is still in use today, "taihei" is no longer commonly used, so "heiwa" conveys the meaning more clearly than "taihei."
I think "平和を欲さば、戦への備えをせよ" is better.
NANGI
All the translations are good! Although the words differ slightly, they all mean the same thing.
汝平和を欲さば、戦への備えをせよ - Wikipedia
If you want to translate using archaic(Samurai ) language, the following terms would be appropriate.
太平を望まば、戦へ備えよ : Taihei wo Nozomaba, Ikusa he Sonaeyo
The word "heiwa : 平和" was coined during the Meiji era ; prior to that, the term "taihei : 太平" was used.
The term "sensou : 戦争" first came into general use during the Meiji era; prior to that, the term "ikusa : 戦" was used.
However, while the word "ikusa" is still in use today, "taihei" is no longer commonly used, so "heiwa" conveys the meaning more clearly than "taihei."
I think "平和を欲さば、戦への備えをせよ" is better.
NANGI
Last edited:
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