# 慎んで、一言申し上げますので、どうかお聞きください



## Liralen42

Hello Forum Members

I am wondering how you would translate this phrase:

慎んで、いとこと申し上げますので、どうかお聞きください

I am having trouble translating 慎んで into a common English expression.

よろしくお願いいたします。
Liralen


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## mikun

Hi,
The sentence is unclear. 
If you have a cousin in Japan, he is called いとこ.
Is this the letter from your cousin?  Some more information is necessary.
慎んで is a modest saying to show some of his respect to you.


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## Liralen42

Sorry about that! I meant to write 一言
．

I know what the phrase 慎んで means (ex. When sumo wrestler go up in rank they saying their awards, or people say it before humble accepting a new job) but I am wondering what would be a good English equivalent to this phrase.

Thank you in advance.


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## Ghabi

Liralen42 said:


> I know what the phrase 慎んで means (ex. When sumo wrestler go up in rank they saying their awards, or people say it before humble accepting a new job)


I don't get you ... As Mikun-san explains above, this expression is used to ask others to be more careful/discreet with their speech/actions etc. For exmaple, お言葉を慎んでください "Mind your language!"


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## Liralen42

Thank you Ghabi. I understand what the phrase means, but I would like to know how to say it in English.　

All I can come up with is:

"I would humbly like to say something. Please listen"

But, this does not sound natural.

Any suggestions?


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## Yabanjin

Liralen42 said:


> Thank you Ghabi. I understand what the phrase means, but I would like to know how to say it in English.
> 
> All I can come up with is:
> 
> "I would humbly like to say something. Please listen"
> 
> But, this does not sound natural.
> 
> Any suggestions?



English tends to use indirect requests for a function like this:

I wonder if you would mind if I made a comment.
I hope you will permit me to offer an opinion.

etc.


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## Liralen42

That sounds good! Thank you very much!


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## Liralen42

I went with:   I hope you will permit me to say a few words.

Thank you everyone for your comments.


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## Flaminius

_Tsutsushimu_ is either real caution or a fatuous preamble of a formal speech addressed to those with more social clouts than the speaker.  The two senses are by convention distinguished by the Chinese characters to represent the pronunciation.  The former uses 慎 as in 慎重, and the latter 謹 as in 謹賀新年.

The topic sentence being a humble request for audience rather than abstention from speaking, the more appropriate script representation is 謹んで一言申し上げます.


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## Liralen42

Thank you Flaminius for the detailed information. I was translating the sentence, so I can not change how the sentence was written, however, if I do write the sentence in the future, I will be sure to remember your advice.


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## Flaminius

Ah, I should have asked who wrote the text before answering (providing context and background information is mandatory in all questions).  Anyway, this goes to show how native speakers are not infallible.

On looking at the source of your sentence, I cannot help quoting a very similar line from Shakespeare (All's Well That Ends Well 5. II.): I beseech your honour to hear me one single word.


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## Ghabi

Flaminius said:


> _Tsutsushimu_ is either real caution or a fatuous preamble of a formal speech addressed to those with more social clouts than the speaker.  The two senses are by convention distinguished by the Chinese characters to represent the pronunciation.  The former uses 慎 as in 慎重, and the latter 謹 as in 謹賀新年.


Ah, I see! Thanks Flam. And please accept my apology, Liralen42, for misunderstanding you.


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