# Rest well - St. John Passion, J.S. Bach



## Eltheza

Dear forum pals,

A friend has asked me for a translation into Greek of the phrase, "Rest well", from the St. John passion by J.S. Bach:

"_Rest well_, you blessed limbs, 
now I will no longer mourn you,
_rest well_, and bring me also to peace!"

He would like to use it, in Greek, Ancient or Modern, in a speech he's going to make at an old friend's funeral. 

I thought it would be best if I asked the experts!

Thanks very much in advance !


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## cougr

For the interim, until the experts come along, I'd suggest _Αναπαυθείτε καλά.

Edit: Just noticed it's already been dealt with at Lexilogia_.


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## Eltheza

Thank you very much, cougr!

That's good! Yes, I kept all my options open!

Much appreciated!


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## Mariana94

*Αναπαύσου εν ειρήνη* would be my suggestion.You're likely to hear such an expression in a greek funeral speech given by a native, say a priest or a relative.


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## Eltheza

Thank you very, very much indeed, Mariana95!


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## cougr

Mariana94 said:


> *Αναπαύσου εν ειρήνη* would be my suggestion.You're likely to hear such an expression in a greek funeral speech given by a native, say a priest or a relative.



With all due respect Mariana but I don't think you read the verse in the first post for which the translation was required.


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## velisarius

The original German means the same as "sleep well", and isn't "rest in peace". "Rest well" sounds as odd in English as "αναπαυθείτε καλά" does in Greek. I can't think of anything better.


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## Eltheza

Thank you very much, velisarius!

I think we settled on 'Αναπάυσου καλά' as my friend was close to the man who died, so the plural isn't appropriate (though in the verse it agrees with 'limbs', of course!).


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## Αγγελος

With all due respect, αναπαυθείτε καλά is completely unidiomatic. Καλή ανάπαυση is what one wishes in Greek to one who retires to rest.


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## Andrious

I agree with Άγγελος.


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## Eltheza

Hi A & A!

Thanks very much indeed! See post #8. It's all a bit academic now; the funeral is today. Nobody there will speak Greek anyway, but my friend just wanted to say 'Rest well' in Greek for his own reasons. Also, the man who died had spent some years living in Crete and was very much a 'Hellenophile'.

Thanks again!


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## Αγγελος

The standard expression for that is Γαίαν έχοις ελαφράν, ancient (but fully understandable) Greek for "may the ground rest light upon you".


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## Eltheza

That's really lovely! I've made a note of it! Thank you, Αγγελε!


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