# Think about it two times, not three times



## geisterfalien

Hello everybody. For the past two, maybe three years I've been trying to translate a phrase for a tattoo and I couldn't find anyone or anything that could give me an accurate translation. I'm from Argentina, and hardly anyone speaks or have learned Latin across my city/region. I've tried contacting teachers in my school, but a solid 90% were English teachers only and the rest didn't really knew much about the subject. Some friends even suggested going to a Church and talk to a Bishop or someone who could have a grip on the language, but I think that's going too far just for a tattoo, maybe. I don't know.

The point is, I'll keep trying to get advice in the future, but I just found this page and thought that maybe you could lend me a hand.

I think the most literal I could get with the phrase is "Think about it two times, but not three times" (Even though I know I could use twice/thrice, I don't know if it's "valid" in Latin? Or if it would be correct to use the word "think" two times in the phrase? I really have no idea).

One part of the phrase, "Think about it two times", comes from the thought of not rushing when you have to make a decision (Under pressure or not), think what you're about to do next and its consequences, decisions about your life and future, etc. Basically to be as rational and analytical as possible in a situation in order to make the best out of it. Think twice before doing anything.

The other part, "But not three times", comes from the opposite... Almost. To not overthink and remember that everything passes, that what could happen will happen and if you think about the possibilities too much you might go crazy. That not everything is as bad as it seems but if you only focus on the negative side it will only worsen the situation. So, don't think thrice. You've already thought about it once, twice, there's no need to think about it three times.

I really hope you could understand what I mean and if you have any questions that might help, please ask me and I'll try to explain myself better and/or with more details.
Thanks!


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## Scholiast

salvete omnes!

_bis rem recogita, nedum tris.
_
Σ


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## geisterfalien

Scholiast said:


> salvete omnes!
> 
> _bis rem recogita, nedum tris.
> _
> Σ



Wow, thanks! I'll have it in mind when I look for more options and to compare


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## Snodv

Not to correct, but to offer options:  _bis rem pensa, neque ter._
I am not as learned as Scholiast, but I only knew _tris_ as an alternate for _tres._
And by preference I would like to omit _rem_ "a thing" (but I strongly suspect _pensare_ is only transitive): "Weigh [i.e. mentally] twice and not thrice."


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## Scholiast

Quite right about _tris_, Snodv (# 4): it was too late when I wrote.

You are also right, that _pensare_ is transitive, whereas _cogitare_ does not have to be.

I would therefore emend my original proposal to:

_bis (rem) (re) cogita, nedum ter.
_
Σ


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## geisterfalien

Thank you all so much!


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