Love God

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Untaught88

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Hi,

Is ''Love God if you want to. You will not get faithfulness from the toys (here means ''human beings'') made of clay'' correct?
 
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It makes little sense.
 
Untaught88, where did you find those sentences?
 
I was reading poetry in my language. This line I liked so I tried to translate it. Maybe the poet girlfriend's left him. He was hurt so he wrote:
''Love only God if you want to,
You can't get fidelity from toys (referring to humans) made of clay''
 
Who or what are these "toys/human beings made of clay"?
 
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In our religion, we believe that that the creation of man is from clay. And in our culture, not now but in the distant past, elders used to make toys (spoons, plates etc.) for children and they play with them.
 
In the Bible man is sometimes spoken of as being made from clay. It says that God made Adam from dust [and presumably water] and breathed life into him. That is why at funeral services the words "Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust" are read, meaning "you originate from the dust of the earth, and to dust you will return".
http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Bible-Verses-About-Clay/

I thought I understood what you meant, but I didn't want to presume what it meant in your religion.
 
The problem is in trying to translate poetry, because poetry often isn't grammatical. There is a great deal of room for a poet to stretch or even break the normal rules of grammar - part of the so-called 'poetic license'. All the usual grammar rules get tossed out the window when writing poetry.

This makes poetry especially difficult to translate. You sometimes have to sacrifice rhymes, puns, or other wordplay to translate the sentiment.

With that in mind, you should translate the poem however best keeps the expressed sentiment and meaning. You won't be able to translate word for word.

Take a look at the two different translations you've already given. They aren't identical in meaning.

'
''Love God if you want to. You will not get faithfulness from the toys (here means ''human beings'') made of clay'' correct?'

This seems to express an idea that it makes no difference if you love God, since humans won't be loyal or faithful to other humans regardless.

To me, I don't quite get the connection between loving God, and the tendency of humans to not be loyal to each other. I don't see the connection between human-human and human-God relationships.


'
''Love only God if you want to,
You can't get fidelity from toys (referring to humans) made of clay''

Here you've added 'only'. This version to me suggests that perhaps it's only worth loving God, because humans won't love you back. Now there's a clear relationship between the suggestion as to why you should love God, and not humans. It's stating that only God will be faithful, return the love, etc. Human-human relationships are wasted, and human-God relationships are requited.

You need to look at what ideas or sentiments the poem is expressing in the original language, and translate those.

If you have any problems with it, you can post back and get some suggestions or feedback. Keep in mind though, that since this is poetry, the most accurate translation into English may not necessarily be grammatical English, which is perfectly acceptable for poetry.
 
In our religion, we believe that that the creation of man is from clay.
The Qu'ran gives various substances from which man was created. Why do you choose clay? (I guess it's more poetic than a drop of water or a clot).

16:4 He hath created man from a drop of fluid, yet behold! he is an open opponent.
23:12 Verily We created man from a product of wet earth;
23:54 And He it is Who hath created man from water,
32:7 He began the creation of man from clay;
76:2 Lo! We create man from a drop of thickened fluid to test him
96:1-2 Read: In the name of thy Lord who createth, Createth man from a clot.

 
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