Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Der Sprechende mag ein Narr sein, Hauptsache der Zuhörende ist weise
English translation:
Though the speaker be a fool, let the hearer be wise.
Added to glossary by
Katy L Dean
Aug 31, 2016 13:27
7 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term
Der Sprechende mag ein Narr sein, Hauptsache der Zuhörende ist weise
German to English
Art/Literary
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Famous quotes
Seems to be a quote by ancient Chinese Philosopher Laozi/Lao-Tzu. Does anyone know the English equivalent? I've tried to Google it, but without much success.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +9 | Though the speaker be a fool, let the hearer be wise. |
Armorel Young
|
| 3 | The speaker may well be a fool but the listener is wise |
Lancashireman
|
Proposed translations
+9
13 mins
Selected
Though the speaker be a fool, let the hearer be wise.
Although that is described at http://www.special-dictionary.com/proverbs/keywords/speaker/ as a "Spanish proverb". However, since it wasn't written in English originally, there isn't necessarily a definitive translation.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Lancashireman
: This is better
3 mins
|
| agree |
Eleanore Strauss
: very nice, but 'hauptsache' = what's important is missing, although that would interrupt the flow
50 mins
|
| agree |
Ramey Rieger (X)
: And I searched hundreds of Lao Tzu quotes. Well done!
1 hr
|
| agree |
Tibor Pataki
1 hr
|
| agree |
writeaway
1 hr
|
| agree |
franglish
: Deserves to be the "official" translation.
4 hrs
|
| agree |
Wendy Streitparth
: Great - and there's definitely no need for the Hauptsache.
6 hrs
|
| agree |
David Hollywood
12 hrs
|
| agree |
Gudrun Wolfrath
1 day 23 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks ever so much - this was perfect!"
16 mins
Lancashireman
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
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252
The speaker may well be a fool but the listener is wise
This source claims it is a Japanese proverb: http://www.special-dictionary.com/proverbs/keywords/speaker/
There are only eight hits including the four main words in sequence:
https://www.google.co.uk/?ion=1&espv=2#q="speaker * fool * l...
(Search technique: Double quotes and asterisks "speaker * fool * listener * wise")
I don't see 'Hauptsache' going easily into an EN version.
There are only eight hits including the four main words in sequence:
https://www.google.co.uk/?ion=1&espv=2#q="speaker * fool * l...
(Search technique: Double quotes and asterisks "speaker * fool * listener * wise")
I don't see 'Hauptsache' going easily into an EN version.
Discussion
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?rs=ac&len=2&q=lao tzu
;-)