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  3. Poetry & Literature

Every Cradle Is a Grave

German translation: Jede Wiege führt ins Grab

14:35 Jun 30, 2020
English to German translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Antinatalism
English term or phrase: Every Cradle Is a Grave
It's the title of a book. "Every Cradle Is a Grave: Rethinking the Ethics of Birth and Suicide "

Here's the link for more information: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou­rce=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazo­n.com/Every-Cradle-Grave-Rethinking­-Suicide/dp/0989697290&ved=2ahUKEwj­tjtLdh6LqAhXI4IUKHQDbDsAQFjALegQIAx­AB&usg=AOvVaw2HH6HmW0u5JzBCvpJdENLp.

Note: I don't speak German. I would like to know its translation since I outsource translations to my team of translators and mentors.
Yassine El Bouknify
Morocco
Local time: 07:39
German translation:Jede Wiege führt ins Grab
Explanation:
Due to the fact that the book is about the idea of no Death without Birth, I think the localization to "Jede Wiege führt ins Grab" fits the meaning exactly. Since I like to stay close to the original phrasing and tonality (if it works of course), I would recommend this term. It encompasses the intention without implying conflicting meanings.
Selected response from:

Julian Pastor
Germany
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2Jede Wiege ist ein Grab
Iris Schmerda
4 +2Jede Wiege führt ins Grab
Julian Pastor
4in jeder Wiege liegt die Bahre
Wolfgang Hummel
3Die Geburt ist der erste Schritt ins Grab
Edith Kelly
3In jeder Wiege liegt der Tod
Bernhard Sulzer


  

Answers


11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Jede Wiege ist ein Grab


Explanation:
The book is mentioned on this site (in German): https://myeducational.info/687498/was-ist-ihr-lieblingsbuch-...

Iris Schmerda
France
Local time: 08:39
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you for your help


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marion Hallouet
5 mins
  -> Danke!
agree  Susanne Schiewe
46 mins
  -> Danke!
agree  Conny Reilly
1 hr
  -> Danke!
neutral  Anne Schulz: The literal translation may work, yet, the quoted title on the reference page seems to be a home-made title by the reviewer or by the website translator. The book has not been published in German.
1 hr
  -> That is true, I quoted the site more as an example, as I think that the translation works well
disagree  Edith Kelly: zu wörtlich
3 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
every cradle is a grave
Die Geburt ist der erste Schritt ins Grab


Explanation:
ich finde auch die Schnelle keine Referenz, kenne diesen Spruch aber schon seit langer Zeit.

Edith Kelly
Switzerland
Local time: 08:39
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
every cradle is a grave
in jeder Wiege liegt die Bahre


Explanation:
In Anlehnung an den alten Spruch: "Von der Wiege bis zur Bahre, Formulare, Formulare". - Das ist ein Juristenspruch, sicher, aber hier trifft er zu. Glaube ich zumindest.

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Note added at 5 hrs (2020-06-30 19:57:14 GMT)
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Besser vielleicht: "In jeder Wiege liegt schon die Bahre".

Wolfgang Hummel
Spain
Local time: 08:39
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
every cradle is a grave
In jeder Wiege liegt der Tod


Explanation:
The main point seems to be that each birth is also a death or death sentence and that the tribulations of life are often a painful precursor/pathway to the inevitable end. Life kills you, figuratively and literally. The book discusses the ethics of deciding to have children and bestow that fate on them. I suppose this book isn't following/discussing or at least defending any belief in the supernatural/afterlife.


https://www.amazon.com/Every-Cradle-Grave-Rethinking-Suicide...

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Note added at 4 hrs (2020-06-30 19:23:26 GMT)
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In jeder Wiege liegt der Tod = (literally) in each cradle lies death

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Note added at 6 hrs (2020-06-30 20:36:36 GMT)
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Hi Yassine,
Just to clarify. I am not saying the book doesn't try to defend human suffering. It promotes ending human suffering by either not having more children born into this world or by allowing people to end their own life based on suffering. Based on this assumption of mine, I take it the book does not defend or accept the idea of an afterlife.,, a different way of seeing life, suffering and death. The title implies that when you are born (= are lying in the cradle), death already lies with you, which the book presumably takes as its argument to allow death at various points in life to end human suffering, possibly before a life is ever created.
And my suggestion takes this into account. B

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Note added at 6 hrs (2020-06-30 20:54:14 GMT)
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One more option:

Jede Geburt ist ein Tod
= Each birth is a death


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Note added at 23 hrs (2020-07-01 14:02:07 GMT)
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Another option would be to turn my orginal suggestion around and say:

Der Tod liegt (schon) in der Wiege

= (literally) Death lies (already) in the cradle, meaning that death is already present in the cradle.

Bernhard Sulzer
United States
Local time: 02:39
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 31
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hi Bernhard, The book is related to antinatalism, and it definitely defends the idea of ending the cycle of human suffering since we life and die. So, this reflects unpopular paradigm that supports ending reproduction- the end of misery of humanity. The title sums up life because this is reality- we die. It's really fascinating that humans keep reproducing no matter what. Anyway, thank you for your help.

Asker: Thank you for your explanation

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1 day 4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
every cradle is a grave
Jede Wiege führt ins Grab


Explanation:
Due to the fact that the book is about the idea of no Death without Birth, I think the localization to "Jede Wiege führt ins Grab" fits the meaning exactly. Since I like to stay close to the original phrasing and tonality (if it works of course), I would recommend this term. It encompasses the intention without implying conflicting meanings.

Example sentence(s):
  • Einer alten Weisheit nach heißt es: Jede Wiege führt ins Grab.
Julian Pastor
Germany
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  seehand
12 hrs
agree  Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
1 day 15 hrs
neutral  Bernhard Sulzer: don't want to criticize bc you were chosen; I just find this too obvious. Of course it's true, but the book title I think points to the fact that death enters the cradle, it's right there from the beginning. Every cradle is (already) a grave.
2 days 21 hrs
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