This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. German to English
  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

Fessle durch Taten die jagende Zeit und schmiede den Tag an die Ewigkeit

English translation: Catch fleeting time with your endeavor and tie this moment to forever.

14:42 Jan 25, 2013
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / Political thriller
German term or phrase: Fessle durch Taten die jagende Zeit und schmiede den Tag an die Ewigkeit
This is a quotation from Julius Lohmeyer apparently carved onto the facade of a house in the Swiss Alps. Does anybody know of an existing translation, or feel inspired to have a go themselves?

»Sehen Sie das Bauernhaus auf dem Scheitelpunkt der Wiese?«
Isler nickte.
»Als ich noch gut zu Fuß war, bin ich oft in der Gegend gewandert. An der Fassade des Hauses ist ein
Weisheitsspruch eingeschnitzt. Er hat mir immer gut gefallen.« Er blickte lächelnd zu Isler, hob die
Augenbrauen und sagte in getragenem Ton: »**Fessle durch Taten die jagende Zeit und schmiede den Tag an
die Ewigkeit!**«
»Sehr schön«, nickte Isler. »Wirklich sehr schön.«
Rachel Ward
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:21
English translation:Catch fleeting time with your endeavor and tie this moment to forever.
Explanation:
My attempt.
Selected response from:

NGK
United States
Local time: 13:21
Grading comment
Thanks, ntext! Brilliant indeed.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +7Catch fleeting time with your endeavor and tie this moment to forever.
NGK
3 +3Stay with your deeds time rushing on. Arrest this moment for all eternity.
Helen Shiner
3Harness vanishing time with your deeds and let the moment linger for keeps
Michael Martin, MA
3 -7Fessle by the deeds wrought hunting time and the day of eternity
Salih YILDIRIM


  

Answers


26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +7
Catch fleeting time with your endeavor and tie this moment to forever.


Explanation:
My attempt.

NGK
United States
Local time: 13:21
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 40
Grading comment
Thanks, ntext! Brilliant indeed.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: And a very good attempt it is too!
1 min
agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): w/ Phil: indeed!
44 mins
agree  Steffen Walter: Nice!
1 hr
agree  Peter Nutting: Great rhyme!
2 hrs
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD: brilliant
2 hrs
agree  Barbara Wiebking
17 hrs
agree  CMFTrier: I'm impressed :-)
21 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Harness vanishing time with your deeds and let the moment linger for keeps


Explanation:
Hope this works..

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 14:21
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 63

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  philgoddard: This is good, but "for keeps" is too colloquial, and is only a half rhyme.
27 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -7
Fessle by the deeds wrought hunting time and the day of eternity


Explanation:
Imho

Salih YILDIRIM
United States
Local time: 14:21
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in TurkishTurkish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Kim Metzger: http://translate.google.com/#de/en/Fessle durch Taten die ja...
7 mins
disagree  philgoddard: Humans 1, Google Translate 0.
20 mins
disagree  Coqueiro: what is the meaning of the "english word" "Fessle"?
1 hr
disagree  Lancashireman: There may be evidence here of a 'site rules violation'.
2 hrs
disagree  Jim Tucker (X): Please don't do this.
5 hrs
disagree  CMFTrier: An amusing attempt at word-for-word translation, but probably not useful in any translation which aims to sound like natural ENglish (i.e. probably most!).
19 hrs
disagree  pj-ffm: Wow! This time not even all the words are English...
5 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Stay with your deeds time rushing on. Arrest this moment for all eternity.


Explanation:
Another stab.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2013-01-25 19:52:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or 'seize' or 'capture' or 'grasp' or 'catch hold of' this moment for all eternity.

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:21
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 74
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, Helen. I love your version too, but the author wants it to rhyme.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  British Diana: The first half is wonderful, the second half could be tweaked to match the rhythm // YES!!
1 day 2 mins
  -> Thanks, British Diana; how about 'hold eternal the here and now'?
agree  Edwin Miles: Yes, this is close. I'd suggest "time rushing/racing/flitting by" and drop the "your" and "all" ("your" isn't in the original, and "all" is kinda redundant, but I'd really drop it more for the sake of the rhythm)
1 day 38 mins
  -> Good points. It now balances better: stay with deeds time rushing by; hold eternal the here and now (I'm not fussed about a rhyme myself.). Thanks, Edwin.
agree  Lonnie Legg: I like your first half, Helen. Or (dropping "your"): "Stay with deeds... " (to rhythmically match:) "...and seize the day for all eternity"?
1 day 53 mins
  -> Thanks, Lonnie - we're getting there. I dislike the 'and' myself - it doesn't sound very natural in EN to me, but it is there in the GER, I accept.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search