"The only secret of existence is to have no fear."

Latin translation: Sola res occulta exsistendi nihil timere est.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:"The only secret of existence is to have no fear."
Latin translation:Sola res occulta exsistendi nihil timere est.

21:47 Jan 21, 2014
    The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2014-01-25 01:54:13 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)


English to Latin translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Philosophy
English term or phrase: "The only secret of existence is to have no fear."
"The only secret of existence is to have no fear. Never be afraid of what you will become."

A colleague asked me to help him with the translation of this phrase.
I came up with this translation:

"Solus secretum existentia est non timere. Numquam timeas quod tu devenies."

But due to the fact that I do not normally translate into Latin, it doesn't seems right to deliver it without asking for a pro opinion and a hawk-eye from my colleagues.

Thank you all for your support!
luncanlp
Romania
Local time: 10:10
Sola res occulta exsistendi nihil timere est.
Explanation:
'Never be afraid of what you will become.' = 'Numquam time id quod fies.'

You might substitute 'arcana' for 'occulta' with no significant change of meaning. The gerund 'exsistendi' seems here to be the closest rendering of the English substantive 'existence', since 'exsistere' does occasionally have this meaning in good Latin and 'esse' lacks a gerund.
Selected response from:

Joseph Brazauskas
United States
Local time: 04:10


Summary of answers provided
4Nihil timere unum vitae arcanum est; noli umquam timere quid fias.
Nouatus
4Sola res occulta exsistendi nihil timere est.
Joseph Brazauskas


  

Answers


21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
\"the only secret of existence is to have no fear.\"
Nihil timere unum vitae arcanum est; noli umquam timere quid fias.


Explanation:
This is, in my opinion, a more accurate translation in classical Latin:

existentia = vita

devenire = fieri (in the French sense of "devenir")

Nouatus
Local time: 09:10
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 20
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you very much, but I consider that the reply of Joseph is more closely to the needs of my colleague.

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32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
"the only secret of existence is to have no fear."
Sola res occulta exsistendi nihil timere est.


Explanation:
'Never be afraid of what you will become.' = 'Numquam time id quod fies.'

You might substitute 'arcana' for 'occulta' with no significant change of meaning. The gerund 'exsistendi' seems here to be the closest rendering of the English substantive 'existence', since 'exsistere' does occasionally have this meaning in good Latin and 'esse' lacks a gerund.

Joseph Brazauskas
United States
Local time: 04:10
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 84
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you very much for your time!

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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