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che trova linfa

Glossary entry

Italian term or phrase:

Chi presta, tempesta; e chi accetta, fa la festa.

English translation:

He who lends a book is stupid. Some borrowers keep the books and think they are smart.

Added to glossary by Pnina
Jun 5, 2008 09:16
16 yrs ago
Italian term

Chi presta, tempesta; e chi accetta, fa la festa.

Italian to English Other Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
"Mia nonna mi diceva sempre: "chi presta, tempesta; e chi accetta, fa la festa." Ho sempre odiato prestare. Ho sempre odiato avere i miei adoratissimi libri a vista."
Proposed translations (English)
3 +5 neither borrower nor lender be
3 He that goes borrowing, goes sorrowing
Change log

Jun 5, 2008 18:36: Pnina Created KOG entry

Jun 6, 2008 09:51: Pnina changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/54450">Pnina's</a> old entry - "Chi presta, tempesta; e chi accetta, fa la festa."" to ""He who lends a book is an idiot. He who returns the book is more of an idiot.""

Discussion

Mirra_ Jun 5, 2008:
Grazie Pnina, ma io volevo sapere il significato di 'tempesta' (supponendo che, visto che tu già lo conoscevi, lo sapessi e/o c'avessi già pensato), al senso generale del proverbio c'arrivavo... ;D
Paul O'Brien Jun 5, 2008:
That's true. Indeed, my Shakespearean proposal was also only half applicable.
Pnina (asker) Jun 5, 2008:
Dear Pauley When there is no equivalent of a certain proverb, I choose the second best. The Arabic saying fits in my context (A girl remembered that her grandmother told her that it was better not to lend things). It demonstrates that the lender puts himself in the hands of the borrower.
Paul O'Brien Jun 5, 2008:
thanks for the two points, pnina, but i must say i doubt the suitability of your arabic quotation, which suggests that people who give back what they borrow are idiots. not only is this socially unacceptable but i don't see that it's in the original quote
Pnina (asker) Jun 5, 2008:
Ciao Mirra Leggi il commento di James (Jim) Davis che riguarda la risposta di Potlatch.
Pnina (asker) Jun 5, 2008:
Thank you everyone Have found the solution elsewhere. Here it is:
"He who lends a book is an idiot. He who returns the book is more of an idiot."
www.finestquotes.com/author_quotes-author-Arabic Proverb-pa...
I am going to use this one because my context is about a girl who is reluctant to lend books to her friends. This saying demonstrates that some lenders lose and some borrowers enjoy what they have borrowed.
Mirra_ Jun 5, 2008:
it's called Peter and comes back to the giver ;D
Seriously... Non ho mai sentito questo detto, ma, scusa, 'tempesta' vuol dire che tempesta di richieste per riottenere i suoi averi, o, che soffre?

Proposed translations

+5
9 mins
Selected

neither borrower nor lender be

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="neither borrower nor l...

it's not exactly what the grandmother is implying (whe's telling him/her not to lend), but a borrower "fa la festa" only for a certain time. that's why, for example, paying by instalments is somethimes called getting things "on the glad and sorry" (i.e glad you have the object immediately, sorry you then have to pay for it).

at any rate, mine is one option.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2008-06-05 09:27:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And
borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry". (Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Act I, scene
iii).
Peer comment(s):
agree Mary Carroll Richer LaFlèche : For loan oft loses itself and friend! TRUE!!
6 mins
agree sophieisidoro : Yes! Don't forget the indefinite article though. Neither A Borrower or A Lender Be. Sounds clearer
8 mins
agree Marie Scarano : That's it!
13 mins
agree Olga Buongiorno : OK!
17 mins
neutral James (Jim) Davis : But Paul this saying means Don't be a lender but do be a borrower. Another version puts "accatta" in place of "accetta". The advice given by the two proverbs is almost completely different.
27 mins
both say NOT to lend, so are not COMPLETELY different. yes, i'm sort of "neutral" myself. BUT, she's not telling him to be a borrower, only that whoever borrows from him will be happy. it all depends how much leeway the translator has and on the context.
agree Laura Crocè : I found both here: http://books.google.it/books?id=jAj9B3309gAC&pg=PA613&lpg=PA... but I prefer your solution!
1 hr
well done. i liked "who lends loses double" in the list (though it gets no Ghits).
Something went wrong...
2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you for the quotation of the advice of Polonius in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Have decided to grant you 2 points for your effort."
22 mins

He that goes borrowing, goes sorrowing

This is the first part of your sayng, but as for the second one....I'll see!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 40 min (2008-06-05 09:56:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://books.google.it/books?id=lZ3LkkIytCsC&pg=PA560&lpg=PA...
Peer comment(s):
neutral Raffaella Panigada : Ciao, a me sembra il contrario: è "he that goes lending..." ma poi si perde la rima. :-)/ Ci credo, ma essendo l'opposto della perla di saggezza citata dalla nonna forse non lo userei in questo caso. Buona giornata :-)
11 mins
Ciao Raffaella, hai ragione, ma la versione originale dice proprio così!!
neutral James (Jim) Davis : "Così si dice per evidenziare che quasi sempre chi presta qualcosa ci rimette, mentre invece viene favorito colui che la riceve." http://www.alibrando.it/proverbi/cerca-157-C.html
25 mins
You're right, Jim! I've only cited the original translation of a book...
Something went wrong...
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