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Thread: Thomas Paine quote

  1. #1
    DDT
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    Thomas Paine quote

    What do you think the best way to translate this Thomas Paine (a Founding Father of USA) quote?

    "Moderation in principle is always a vice."
    Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think and act for myself. - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

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    Re: Thomas Paine quote

    OK are any of these two versions any good?

    1 Даже малейшее отступление от принципа всегда является пороком

    2 Умеренность в принцире - всегда недостаток
    Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think and act for myself. - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

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    Старший оракул CoffeeCup's Avatar
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    Re: Thomas Paine quote

    Quote Originally Posted by DDT
    1 Даже малейшее отступление от принципа всегда является пороком
    This one seems to be pretty good.

    Quote Originally Posted by DDT
    2 Умеренность в принцире - всегда недостаток
    This one seems to be senseless.
    So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

  4. #4
    DDT
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    Re: Thomas Paine quote

    Quote Originally Posted by CoffeeCup
    Quote Originally Posted by DDT
    1 Даже малейшее отступление от принципа всегда является пороком
    This one seems to be pretty good.

    Quote Originally Posted by DDT
    2 Умеренность в принцире - всегда недостаток
    This one seems to be senseless.
    Hmm.... That's what I was afraid of! There seems to be no way to translate the quote in Russian without qualifying the meaning of the quote in the translation. In English it is not necessary.

    Is there any way to make the sentence shorter!
    Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think and act for myself. - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

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    Старший оракул
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    Re: Thomas Paine quote

    Умеренность в следовании принципам всегда порочна.
    Сдержанность в соблюдении принципов - всегда порок.

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    Завсегдатай it-ogo's Avatar
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    Re: Thomas Paine quote

    Слово "принцип" без уточнения вряд ли сгодится на афоризм, я думаю. Сишком оно неоднозначно в эмоциональном плане.

    Я бы сказал: "Умеренность в добродетели есть порок". Смысл не совсем тот, зато вполне афористично.
    "Россия для русских" - это неправильно. Остальные-то чем лучше?

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    Старший оракул CoffeeCup's Avatar
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    Re: Thomas Paine quote

    Quote Originally Posted by DDT
    Is there any way to make the sentence shorter!
    Отступление от принципов - порочно.
    So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

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