Hello,

I'd like some help having a tattoo translated. It's my favorite James Joyce quote from Ulysses. I'm just starting to learn about the Irish language and I don't know enough about it yet, I'd like an expert to help me out to make sure it's properly translated into Irish before I have something permanently etched on my body. There are two versions, I'm not sure which I'll go with yet so both would be very helpful. They are below:

"As I am, as I am. All or not at all."

"All or not at all."

I may have to go with just "All or not at all" because of the space required, so I'd like to see both translated separately. Thank you so much for your help!

These are attempts at translating the cryptic Joyce. Very questionable.

As I am, as I am.

Mar é atá ionam, ionam.

All or not at all.

Gach rud nó rud ar bith.

For a tattoo, make sure you get a thorough discussion and three agreements before you get inked.

Thank you for the help! Can I get a second and a third to confirm the translation that the person who replied has offered?

I don't see how that works.

Mar atá mé, mar atá mé. Or: Mar atáim, mar atáim.

Yes


That can work, but I think this has a nicer rhythm:

An t-iomlán, nó rud ar bith.
The whole thing, or nothing at all.

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I'm not a native (or entirely fluent) speaker, so be sure to wait for confirmations/corrections, especially for tattoos.

I understand this to mean "As I am (something)". "Mar atá mé" isn't a " Tá sé fear" problem?

Whether or not that's what it sounds like I don't know, but no, in simple grammatical terms, it isn't, you're using a and not is.

I was thinking in terms of grammar. But I can see where using "mar" would not need the copula.

One way I describe the difference between the copula and "tá" to new learners is that "is" tells you what something or someone IS, and "tá" tells you what something or someone is LIKE (also what it's doing, its state or condition, etc.). Looked at that way, "tá" is the clear choice.

Redwolf

Thank you all for the help!

Is it agreed that "Gach rud nó rud ar bith" is the literal translation of "all or not at all"? If I had that tattooed on my arm, would people on the street in Dublin see it and say "all or not at all'?