# Everything happens for a reason



## wgerrish

Hi there,

im planning to get a tattoo thats says "Everything happens for a reason" but im coming arcoss 2 different translations.

1. הכל קורה מסיבה
2. יש סיבה לכל דבר שקורה 

but 2 seems to translate more to "There is a reason for everything that happens"

please could someone clear up for me?

many thanks

Will


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## RaLo18

The Hebrew phrase is הכל מלמעלה (everything is from above).


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## bat777

Hi Will,
הכל מלמעלה is a very good option.
If you are looking for a more literal translation, my suggestions are:
לכל דבר (יש) סיבה
The word יש is not necessary. The sentence sound higher register wthout it.
Or:
יש סיבה לכל דבר
Again, without the word שקורה the sentence sounds higher register.

Good luck.


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## wgerrish

thanks to everyone for coming back to me.

i would like a more literal translation of "everything happens for a reason"

when i use an on-line translator לכל דבר יש סיבה it translates to "there is every reason".

like you said is לכל דבר יש סיבה the literal translation of "everything happens for a reason".

again many thanks

Will


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## bat777

wgerrish said:


> when i use an on-line translator לכל דבר יש סיבה it translates to "there is every reason".


 
The online translator didn't get it right.
The precise translation of *לכל דבר יש סיבה* is: "everything has a reason".

The translation you got: "there is every reason" corresponds to the Hebrew: "*יש כל סיבה*" or more precisely: "*יש את כל הסיבות*".


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## oiseauxlahaut

bat777 is right- לכל דבר יש סיבה sounds best and the most natural. (unlike הכל קורה מסיבה which looks kind of like you're talking about a party...)


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## wgerrish

You people are excellent.  attached is what i plan to get done as there is no direct translation to everything happens for a reason so everything has a reason so just as close to what i wanted.

Also out of pure interest whats everyones favourite hebrew font???  currently i have it in Arial italic.

thoughts much appreciated

Thanks


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## wgerrish

Hi everyone,

would love to get yoru feedback if this tattoo actually says everything happens for a reason?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hebrew-tattoo/3562654939/

thanks


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## bat777

לכל מאורע יש סיבה  is in fact "there is a reason for everything that happens", because the word "מאורע" means "something that happens/ed/will happen".

It is a rather archaic word.


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## ahshav

I don't think מאורע is archaic - it's simply not used often in spoken *language*. It means occurrence, and so I would translate the tattoo as "For every occurrence there is a reason."

Personally, I think לכל דבר סיבה is the prettiest - but that doesn't mean the others are incorrect.


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## wgerrish

can i just ask what יש means.

as in this post bat777 says it is not necessary.

but the only translation i can find of it means "there is".

so your translation of everything has a reason is "לכל דבר סיבה" without the "יש"

sorry for all the questions people but i plan to get this done tonight "6pm UK time"

again very helpful.

thanks


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## amikama

wgerrish said:


> can i just ask what יש means.
> 
> but the only translation i can find of it means "there is".


Yes, יש means "there is/are".



> as in this post bat777 says it is not necessary.
> 
> so your translation of everything has a reason is "לכל דבר סיבה" without the "יש"


In this case I don't agree with bat777, because to me "לכל דבר סיבה" looks incomplete. It's better to keep יש in this sentence.


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## ahshav

amikama - in modern spoken Hebrew יש is used, but in cases like this it is not absolutely necessary. Examples:

לכובע שלי שלוש פינות....
קן לציפור בין העצים...


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## amikama

ahshav said:


> amikama - in modern spoken Hebrew יש is used, but in cases like this it is not absolutely necessary. Examples:
> 
> לכובע שלי שלוש פינות....
> קן לציפור בין העצים...


You're right, of course . But in my reply I referred only to the specific sentence לכל דבר סיבה. In _this _case I think that יש is necessary, but maybe it's only me.


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