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  3. Poetry & Literature

""Auch aus Steinen, die in den Weg gelegt werden, kann man Schoenes bauen"

English translation: Even the stones that have been placed in one's path can be made into something beautiful.

15:06 Nov 24, 2009
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Goethe quotation
German term or phrase: ""Auch aus Steinen, die in den Weg gelegt werden, kann man Schoenes bauen"
Does anyone know of a published / 'official' translation for the above quote?
I need to keep the image as it used in a film, where stones are shown and important to the dialogue.

Many thanks
RosiJillett
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:31
English translation:Even the stones that have been placed in one's path can be made into something beautiful.
Explanation:
I would prefer it without "have been placed," but that seems to be the only way to include gelegt werden.
It would sound better thus:
Even the stones in one's path can be made into something beautiful.
Selected response from:

Susan Welsh
United States
Local time: 16:31
Grading comment
Chose philgoddard's version.

Many thanks.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +8Even the stones that have been placed in one's path can be made into something beautiful.
Susan Welsh
5.. even stones in your path can lead to something beautiful
Gabriella Bertelmann
5even from stones lying on the way one can build a beauty
rupali_vinod
3 +1Even from stones that are put in one's way, one can build something beautiful.
Paul Merriam
4Stumbling stones can in fact be used to build a beautiful edifice
British Diana
3you can even turn the stones in your way (path) into a beautiful structure (edifice)
Bernhard Sulzer
Summary of reference entries provided
Another option
Alison MacG

Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Even from stones that are put in one's way, one can build something beautiful.


Explanation:
It's published at http://pauldots.blogspot.com/ . I'll let you decide whether that's "official" enough for your purposes.

Paul Merriam
Local time: 16:31
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Henry Schroeder: sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me....
19 mins
neutral  philgoddard: I'm not sure about the repetition of "one" or the comma. //How can you have an "official" translation of something like this? And why have you submitted one if she can come up with her own?
31 mins
  -> You're missing the point. The question was about a "published" or "official" translation, not a good one. I'm sure that RosiJillett has enough knowledge of German that she can come up with her own translation.
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11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +8
\"\"Auch aus Steinen, die in den Weg gelegt werden, kann man Schoenes bauen\"
Even the stones that have been placed in one's path can be made into something beautiful.


Explanation:
I would prefer it without "have been placed," but that seems to be the only way to include gelegt werden.
It would sound better thus:
Even the stones in one's path can be made into something beautiful.

Susan Welsh
United States
Local time: 16:31
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Chose philgoddard's version.

Many thanks.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: Even the stones placed in one's path can be made into something beautiful
24 mins
  -> Yes, that's better, thanks.
agree  Monika Elisabeth Sieger
31 mins
  -> Thanks
agree  Steven Sidore: philgoddard's selection is good
40 mins
  -> Thanks
agree  Thayenga: Right with Steven.
1 hr
  -> Thanks
agree  franglish: with Phil, too
2 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Rolf Keiser
2 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Courtney Sliwinski: Very poetic!
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Courtney
agree  Jutta Scherer: with Phil
1 day 38 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
.. even stones in your path can lead to something beautiful


Explanation:
even stones in your path can lead to something beautiful... or lead to a beautiful creation....

I think is better and contains more symbolism than

.. even stones in your path can let you create something beautiful...

good luck and best to you

Gabriella Bertelmann
Local time: 22:31
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Armorel Young: it's not clear to me how stones can "lead" anywhere - other than by marking the route of a path, which is a completely different image from "bauen"
5 hrs
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1 day 56 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Stumbling stones can in fact be used to build a beautiful edifice


Explanation:
not official, just my own one.

British Diana
Germany
Local time: 22:31
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
you can even turn the stones in your way (path) into a beautiful structure (edifice)


Explanation:
taking it a bit further:

Auch aus Steinen, die in den Weg gelegt werden, kann man Schoenes bauen.

The stones that stand against you can also stand in your favor, beautifully.

You can pick up the stones in your way and build a beautiful structure.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day11 hrs (2009-11-26 02:17:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or:
You can even turn the stones blocking your path into beautiful structures.

Bernhard Sulzer
United States
Local time: 16:31
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 55
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4 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
even from stones lying on the way one can build a beauty


Explanation:
A humen being can take something positve and constructive even from obstacles coming in the way of life

rupali_vinod
Local time: 02:01
Native speaker of: Native in MarathiMarathi, Native in HindiHindi
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Reference comments


2 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: Another option

Reference information:
Auch aus Steinen, die einem in den Weg gelegt werden, kann man Schönes bauen.
Beautiful things can be built even from stones placed in your way.
- Goethe
http://www.alzpoetry.com/German Language Programming/

Alison MacG
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Barbara Wiebking
4 days
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