Apr 15, 2011 18:59
13 yrs ago
Slovak term
United Kingdom
A REAL English native speaker!
Native in: English 
Works in: Czech to English, Slovak to English
Keď už do pekla, tak aspoň na peknom koni
Slovak to English
Other
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
I haven't got my proverb head on this evening - there must be an English equivalent proverb to 'if you must go to hell, at least go there on a nice horse' - I just can't think what it is.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
37 mins
Slavomir BELIS
Slovakia
Slovakia
Native in Slovak
Slovakia
English-SLOVAK-English translations
Native in: Slovak
Works in: English to Slovak, Slovak to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well.
I have found this in my computer. I do not know now where I came across it.
If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well.
Keď do pekla, tak na peknom koni.
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Note added at 23 hrs (2011-04-16 18:07:05 GMT)
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I think the respondent wants to say that the new sort of chocolate is not good at all. What they probably mean by - Keď už do pekla, tak aspoň na peknom koni - is - Práca chvatná, málo platná.
I like to think so because in one of my terminological databases I have the following:
If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well.
Práca chvatná, málo platná. Keď do pekla, tak na peknom koni.
This means that I have come across it in some sort of literary source. That is not to say it must be automatically correct but there may be something in it.
If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well.
Keď do pekla, tak na peknom koni.
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Note added at 23 hrs (2011-04-16 18:07:05 GMT)
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I think the respondent wants to say that the new sort of chocolate is not good at all. What they probably mean by - Keď už do pekla, tak aspoň na peknom koni - is - Práca chvatná, málo platná.
I like to think so because in one of my terminological databases I have the following:
If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well.
Práca chvatná, málo platná. Keď do pekla, tak na peknom koni.
This means that I have come across it in some sort of literary source. That is not to say it must be automatically correct but there may be something in it.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you"
34 mins
Milada Major
Slovakia
Slovakia
Native in Slovak
Slovakia
Sworn Translator (SLK‹›ENG‹›CZE)
Native in: Slovak
Works in: Slovak to English, Czech to English, English to Slovak, and 5 more.
Even to be hung one should choose a fine tree.
It is interpreted as an equivalent to the SK proverb:
"Aj obesiť sa na peknom strome je potešenie", coming from the Latin VEL STRANGULARI PULCHRO DE LIGNO IUVAT (by Publilius Syrus), try to check his moral maxims in EN.
"Aj obesiť sa na peknom strome je potešenie", coming from the Latin VEL STRANGULARI PULCHRO DE LIGNO IUVAT (by Publilius Syrus), try to check his moral maxims in EN.
1 hr
Elizabeth Spacilova
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
Native in English
Czech Republic
Precision with style
Native in: English 
Works in: Czech to English, German to English, Slovak to English
If I'm (you're, he's...) going to hell, I (you, he...) might as well enjoy the ride.
I know, it sounds like a twangy American rock lyric. I suspect it is. (googling) ... yes, it is. James Taylor, "Since we're on our way down / we might as well enjoy the ride" (Secret O’ Life). There's even a facebook page "I'm already going to Hell, so I might as well enjoy the ride" ...
+1
1 hr
Mike Gogulski
Slovakia
Slovakia
Native in English
Slovakia
Always better than just good enough
Native in: English
Works in: Slovak to English, English, Czech to English
If you're going to hell anyway, you may as well enjoy the ride
There might be a more common formulation, but that's what I'd use. Alternately, "If things are going to hell, you may as well enjoy the ride"
1 hr
Charles Stanford
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
Native in English
Czech Republic
Qualified, experienced EN native speaker
Native in: English
Works in: Czech to English, Slovak to English, German to English, and 3 more.
If you are going down you may as well go out with a bang/splash
A bit colourless but depending on your context it is perhaps something pretty English.
If you are going to go out/downm you might as well go out in a blaze of glory/with a bang/make a splash/all guns blazing
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Note added at 1 hr (2011-04-15 20:22:23 GMT)
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Maybe all guns blazing out of that lot
If you are going to go out/downm you might as well go out in a blaze of glory/with a bang/make a splash/all guns blazing
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Note added at 1 hr (2011-04-15 20:22:23 GMT)
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Maybe all guns blazing out of that lot
Discussion
"Chocolate is like medicine-but as with medicine, the key is the proper dose. Don't overdo it" ! Edward "Grandpa" Jones