Hi all,

Please could someone help with me with a translation? I am getting a tattoo of a Buddah quote that has been of real comfort to me, however I would like it in Irish Gaelic to pay homage to my family background. The quote is "Do not dwell in the past. Do not dream of the future. Concentrate the mind on the present moment."

I would be really grateful if someone could give me a hand. Google translate does not seem quite right for a number of reasons!

Many thanks

Lauren

Here's a start, but do wait for comments or corrections from others:

Ná bí ag déanamh trácht fada ar an t-am a chuaigh thart.
Do not dwell in the past.
or, for something shorter in the Irish:
Ná bíodh imní ort faoin t-am a chuaigh thart
Don't be worrying about the past.

Ná bí ag taibhreamh ar an todhchaí.
Do not dream of the future.

Cruinnigh d'intinn ar an t-am i láithair.
Concentrate the mind on the present moment.

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

Dearmaid bheaga:

Ná bí ag déanamh trácht fada ar an am a chuaigh thart/atá thart

Ná bíodh imní ort faoin am a chuaigh/atá thart

Cruinnigh d'intinn ar an am i láthair

Ana-dheas ar fad

Another possibility:
Ná santaigh an t-am atá caite ná an t-am atá chugat, ach dírigh ar an am i láthair.
(Don't * covet * the * time * that is * spent * nor * the * time * that is * to you* but * focus/direct * on * the * time * in * presence)
= Don't long for the past or the future, but focus on the present.

Maybe seo as an alternative for atá...

Thank you both very much for your quick response! so the version im looking at going for is;

Ná bí ag déanamh trácht fada ar an am a chuaigh thart
Ná bí ag taibhreamh ar an todhchaí.
Cruinnigh d'intinn ar an am i láthair

Thanks again

I think the tenses could be simplified a bit:

Ná fan san am atá caite. "Don't dwell in the past."
Ná taibhrigh ar an am atá le teacht. "Don't dream of the future."
Cruinnigh d'intinn ar láthair na huaire. "Concentrate on the present moment."

Wait for three to agree before doing anything permanent with translations from our forum ...

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

What needs clarifying here is the "dwell".

The original request was "dwell in" -- ie live in, abide in -- but the first few responses have reinterpreted it as "dwell on" -- worry, be preoccuppied about -- and only Breandán actually translated the original.

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A language belongs to its native speakers, and when you speak it, you are a guest in their homes.
If you are not a good guest, you have no right to complain about receiving poor hospitality.

In the supposed original quote, the first part, "Munca pure munca pacchato", is rendered as "let go of the past, let go of the future" (.i. no dwelling at all )

Between Redwolf and Breandán patrolling for spelling mistakes and Niall Beag's ability to pick up on every sense of nuance. I think we can all sleep easy

Cian

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Please wait for corrections/ more input from other forum members before acting on advice

It gets even better, the actual quote as found here also says "Give up the present."


In that case, perhaps:

Éirigh as an am atá caite, "Give up the past,"
Éirigh as an am atá le teacht, "Give up the future,"
Éirigh as an am atá i láthair. "Give up the present."

Then we might be on the right track ...


Laurenmc, you might like to reconsider the request?

There is an explanation of a possible source of the "mistake" in the "quote" here.

Thích Nhất Hạnh, another Buddhist, often talks about "living in the present moment".


There are more of his quotes here.

There are other similar quotes, not necessarily by Buddhists, here.

Be sure of what you want before inking ...

_________________
Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

... éirigh as kind off implies that these times are some sort of challenge or action to be abandoned. Like you'd never say "Éirigh as do lón" for "give up your lunch"

Would Lig/Fág/Cuir uait or something more on the lines of "leaving behind/letting past" not suit more, don't ye think?