wel de lusten maar niet de lasten

English translation: all gain, no pain

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Dutch term or phrase:wel de lusten maar niet de lasten
English translation:all gain, no pain
Entered by: Chris Hopley

11:49 Jun 15, 2011
Dutch to English translations [PRO]
Journalism
Dutch term or phrase: wel de lusten maar niet de lasten
In a newspaper article, reference is made to the decision not to build nuclear power plants, but instead to import electricity (including nuclear) from elsewhere:

"In de discussie over de bouw van kerncentrales noemt minister Verhagen van Economische Zaken het hypocriet als Nederland geen kerncentrale wil bouwen, maar wel kernenergie uit Frankrijk importeert. Wel de lusten maar niet de lasten. Dat moet je als Nederlander niet willen."

Is there a nice idiomatic way of expressing this in English? So far I've got the rather dull "reaping the benefits without any of the drawbacks". Surely there must be a more inspired solution than this?!! Who can help?
Chris Hopley
Netherlands
Local time: 02:53
(wanting) gain without (the) pain
Explanation:
"Gain without pain" seems a simple enough solution to me...

Borders the idiom: "geen lusten zonder lasten" (i.e. "[there is] no pleasure without pain" according to Van Dale)...

I would have opted for "wanting pleasure without pain"; however, I think there is something to be said about the rhyme in the idiom and the 'wisselwoorden' (i.e. robin words) "lusten" and "lasten".

So, in the spirit of "No pain, no gain", I am flipping it around...

Seems to be used here and there on "the internets"

http://focus.aps.org/story/v4/st12

http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v5/n10/full/nn1002-923.h...

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:idw9IZ0tZeUJ:ipc.b...



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Note added at 1 day8 hrs (2011-06-16 20:16:11 GMT)
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Used in context: "In the debate over the construction of nuclear power plants, Minister Verhagen of Economic Affairs labels it hypocritical for the Dutch to stave off building nuclear power plants, yet they readily hoard in nuclear energy from France. That is like wanting all the gain without any pain, which is not what the Dutch are supposed to be about."
Selected response from:

Bryan Crumpler
United States
Local time: 21:53
Grading comment
Nice, Bryan. I like this solution, and Maria's fine-tuning!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4(wanting) gain without (the) pain
Bryan Crumpler
3 +2enjoying the pleasures without assuming the burdens
Barend van Zadelhoff
1 +2wanting to have your cake and eat it
W Schouten
3to have the penny and the bun
Dave Greatrix
3Having the advantages without the disadvantages
Monique van Brandenburg
Summary of reference entries provided
have your cake and eat it too
Lianne van de Ven

Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): +2
wanting to have your cake and eat it


Explanation:
May be?

W Schouten
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:53
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lianne van de Ven: I like this better than 'pleasures' in this nuclear power context: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Have_one's_cake_and_eat_it_too
1 hr
  -> Thank you

agree  Tina Vonhof (X)
2 hrs
  -> Dank je wel Tina
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32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
enjoying the pleasures without assuming the burdens


Explanation:
the expression is often used in connection with relations
I think this is what it comes down to

Barend van Zadelhoff
Netherlands
Local time: 02:53
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  W Schouten: may be benefits rather than pleasures
9 mins
  -> Dank je wel, W. The expression stems from a Christian mindset (CDA (..)). It's hard for me to let go of 'pleasures' vs 'burdens', but 'benefits' would introduce some alliteration: B & B :-)

agree  Piotrnikitin
44 mins
  -> Thank you, Piotrnikitin.
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to have the penny and the bun


Explanation:
Another option.

http://suffragents.freehostia.com/articles file/feminism.htm...

Dave Greatrix
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Having the advantages without the disadvantages


Explanation:
Van Dale lusten en lasten = advantages and disadvantages.
But maybe this sounds a bit too positive?

Monique van Brandenburg
Netherlands
Local time: 02:53
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
(wanting) gain without (the) pain


Explanation:
"Gain without pain" seems a simple enough solution to me...

Borders the idiom: "geen lusten zonder lasten" (i.e. "[there is] no pleasure without pain" according to Van Dale)...

I would have opted for "wanting pleasure without pain"; however, I think there is something to be said about the rhyme in the idiom and the 'wisselwoorden' (i.e. robin words) "lusten" and "lasten".

So, in the spirit of "No pain, no gain", I am flipping it around...

Seems to be used here and there on "the internets"

http://focus.aps.org/story/v4/st12

http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v5/n10/full/nn1002-923.h...

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:idw9IZ0tZeUJ:ipc.b...



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day8 hrs (2011-06-16 20:16:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Used in context: "In the debate over the construction of nuclear power plants, Minister Verhagen of Economic Affairs labels it hypocritical for the Dutch to stave off building nuclear power plants, yet they readily hoard in nuclear energy from France. That is like wanting all the gain without any pain, which is not what the Dutch are supposed to be about."

Bryan Crumpler
United States
Local time: 21:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Nice, Bryan. I like this solution, and Maria's fine-tuning!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ymkje Kuipers
2 hrs

agree  Glenda Janssen: Very elegant solution. I had brainfreeze yesterday and could not come up with the appropriate idiom.
1 day 2 hrs

agree  Maria Danielson: or "all gain, no pain"
1 day 21 hrs
  -> Haha... that rings so much better IMO!

agree  Sandrijn Van Den Noortgate
10 days
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Reference comments


1 hr
Reference: have your cake and eat it too

Reference information:
I think this fits better in this context.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Have_one's_cake_and_eat_it...
have your cake (not have your nuclear power plants in the NLS) and eat it too (import it from somewhere else).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-06-15 13:28:16 GMT)
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Reposting the broken link:
http://en.org/wiki/Have_one's_cake_and_eat_it_too

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Note added at 1 hr (2011-06-15 13:28:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I guess html doesn't like the apostrophe

Lianne van de Ven
United States
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
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