Sue

I'm trying to help my BF out. He is getting a custom-made sword, and he wants this engraved on the blade in Welsh:

"Behold the pale horse. The man who sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him."

He's not satisfied with online translators, so I'm hoping a real person may be able to help? Anyone here KNOW Welsh?

Please and Thank You in advance

Plan9

TFP user PonyPotato could probably handle that.

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Teufel Hunden

<---- Sue's BF here.

The above quote is from Revelation 6.8

The problem with the online translators is they translate the words individually, so the sentence structure ends up being completely incorrect. I've searched high and low and can't find a reliable website of the bible itself.

Thanks for everyone's help in advance!

highthief

You might look for a Welsh translation of the bible - either online or hard copy - if you know the Chapter and verse.

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Baraka_Guru

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PonyPotato

Baraka, that would help if you could really read the print of Revelation 6. Also, that bible doesn't translate to the exact phrase they're looking for - its Revelation 6:8 has no clear mention of a horse, but mentions the phrase "fourth" or "four" twice, which is unusual if you look at possible English translations. I don't think it's what they're looking for.

I have asked a few family members to give you a good translation. Hopefully I'll be able to get one to you in a day or so.

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Sue

Been there, done that, didn't work.

---------- Post added at 07:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:27 AM ----------

Thanks, but that's already been tried

---------- Post added at 07:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:28 AM ----------

Thank you so much

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Teg yw edrych tuag adref.

Teufel Hunden

Thanks very much. I thought originally that getting a biblical phrase translated to Welsh would be easy, but nearly 2.5 hours of searching last night netted absolutely nothing. Though i do know the Welsh world for Revelation now, so i guess it wasn't a total loss.

PonyPotato

"Edrych y ceffyl llwyd. Y gŵr a eisteddodd arno fe oedd marwolaeth, a uffern dilynodd gyda fe."

Note: My mother is from South Wales and her version of man "gŵr" usually translates as "husband," so you might want to use "dyn" which is the dictionary's translation of man. But this is how she would be comfortable saying the phrase and being understood.

Hope this helps! I can also post in a Welsh language community on LJ and ask them, they're always good at translations but there are always multiple versions and opinions!

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Sue

Pony, thanks so much!

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Teg yw edrych tuag adref.

Teufel Hunden

Thanks a bunch!

Don't worry about second opinions, but i appreciate the offer. As long as it generally means what i wanted and not, "The pink bunnies ride dead horses to hell" I'm happy.

Punk.of.Ages

I just want to say that's a really rad verse to engrave on your sword.

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Teufel Hunden

Thanks!

I think it'll look awesome when it's finished too. I think the text will take up nearly the entire length of the fuller. Here's what it's going to look like:

This same wire grip



With this rampant lion coin in the pommel.




Coincidentally, that coin is nearly identical to my family's coat of arms. I chose Welsh for the etching because i have a ton of heritage there.


It's being made by a guy in Scotland on the Isle of Skye. Should be ready in just under two months.

spindles

As long as you have a holy hand grenade and can count to three you'll be fine.

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Zeraph

You should get it in English since that's what you speak.

I've never understood the obsession of tattoos and whatnot in languages that you can't speak at all.

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Hektore

I would also say it's ok to go with the original language something was written in, particularly when it doesn't translate well into the language you speak.

Although I agree with you when it's for pure vanity.

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highthief

What Aramaic? Greek? Hebrew? That's the language of the bible!

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Teufel Hunden

Well i actually do speak Welsh, just basic, and not well enough to translate complex sentences yet. A year from now I'll be able to, but the sword couldn't wait for a year since my turn on the waiting list came up now. But thanks for likening my sword to a cheesy tattoo.

Zeraph

NP

But that's good. If you're learning the language that's a whole nother story.

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"What silence can there be,
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Teufel Hunden

I'm glad you approve, after assuming before knowing the details. Next time maybe ask before trying to derail someone's thread.

Zeraph

Woh there boy, I made a friendly suggestion and then a generalized comment. And if its in the same subject, its not derailing. No need to call me an ass.

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"What silence can there be,
what lack of sound compare
to a snowfall from dark air
falling quietly to sea?"

luv ya

Sue

Well, I think we got what we needed out of this thread. Nothing to see here, move along

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Teg yw edrych tuag adref.

highthief

The BBC hosts a "learn Welsh" message board if you'd like any other translations:

BBC - MESSAGE BOARDS - Wales Education & Learning - Homepage

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Teufel Hunden

Awesome stuff. I'll check it out.

thingstodo

Check out this book - it's really odd!! The line was used in it about a Norse warrior and there is even a hill in England with a huge white horse on the side still there to this day about the battle when the dude that rode the white horse was killed.

Here's something on the book, author, etc.:

The Last Kingdom is the first book in The Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell. The series follows the wars between King Alfred the Great and the Danes or Vikings. The Last Kingdom focuses on Uhtred's upbringing and early adulthood. The book begins when Uhtred marches with his father to war against the Danes at the age of ten. He links his destiny to the Sceadugenga or "Shadow-Walkers".

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Xerxys

Well, seeing as you've got what YOU want, You always do this. Just come in, use me, abuse me, then leave. What about US, what about OUR needs? What about OUR feelings?!?!

Answer me now!!

What does: Teg yw edrych tuag adref. mean?

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Sue

It means always look homeward

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Teg yw edrych tuag adref.

Xerxys

Thanks.

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Anormalguy

If you're of Welsh heritage, & the saying is going to be in Welsh (Gaelic?), why not use the Welsh Gryphon on the pommel?

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PonyPotato

DRAGON. THE SYMBOL FOR WALES IS A DRAGON.

/roar

(it's on the flag)

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— Henri-Frédéric Amiel

apeman

I'm not a fluent speaker or anything, but from what I remember ...
Teg = fair
yw = is
edrych = to look
adref = home

so wouldn't it be something like:
Fair it is to look homeward

or is it one of those occassions when the literal translation isn't right?

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Teufel Hunden

Because I'm using my family coat of arms instead, which is also of Welsh origin.

---------- Post added at 05:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:42 PM ----------

That's why i had to ask for help translating my bible quote. Translating word for word to English hardly ever works, and is the difficult part of accurate translation. Hell, just look at the differences between English and Spanish even... taking a line straight out of a Spanish newspaper and translating it one word at a time wouldn't make much sense to us in English.

Sue

It's something along those lines from the translation I got "always look homeward." Worked for me

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Teg yw edrych tuag adref.

apeman

I liked "gwyn dy fyd".
gwyn can mean either white or blessed, and fyd (byd) can mean world or being. Anyway, it's equivalent to "fare well".
byd turning into fyd is a soft mutation, which is unique to Celtic languages as far as I know. I have a joke somewhere involving soft mutation - if you forget to do it, you can end up saying something entirely different. And rude.

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stevie667

This reminds me of when i used to do a module of welsh at university. I'm going to go get drunk and try and repress the memories again.

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Teufel Hunden

Pony, here's the sword you and your mom helped create. I took your advice and replaced Gwr with dyn.



I'll post more detailed pics of it when i receive it. It was shipped from Scotland this morning.

Anormalguy

Very nice!! I look forward to seeing the extra photos.

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PonyPotato

This is awesome - I'll definitely show my mom when you post the rest of the photos.

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"Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark."
— Henri-Frédéric Amiel

Teufel Hunden

Here it is Pony,

IT FINALLY CAME TODAY!!!!!!

Here's the handle. The wire wrap is alot more intricate and delicate looking than I imagined. I thought it was going to be more of a rough look, but I'm very happy with this




It's impossible to get all of the etching in a single pic. It goes about 3/4 down the length of the blade.




Shot of the leather work. All wood scabbard wrapped in calf skin, with silver fittings.