# Persian, Urdu, and Hindi: vita brevis, ars longa



## Alfaaz

*Background:* Wikipedia Article: translated into Latin from Greek (Aphorismi by Hippocrates):

_*Latin:
*Vita brevis, __ars longa, __
occasio praeceps, __experimentum periculosum, __iudicium difficile.
*English:
*__Life is short, and Art long, _
_opportunity fleeting, experience perilous, and decision difficult._

*Question:* How could this be translated into Persian, Urdu, and Hindi?

Attempt: 
حیات / زندگی  مختصر، فن طویل
موقع عارضی، تجربہ خطرناک، فیصلہ مشکل


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## pasargadae

Hi
دوام زندگی کوتاه و دوام هنر بلند است
موقعیت ها گذرا هستند، تجربیات گران بدست می آیند  و تصمیم گیری دشوار است
 or
زندگی کوتاه و هنر دیر می پاید
فرصت گذرا، تجربه گران بها و تصمیم دشوار است


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## searcher123

زندگي كوتاه است و هنر ماندگار. فرصت از دست مي‌رود، تجربه پرمخاطره است و تصميم گيري دشوار!ا


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## Qureshpor

Alfaaz said:


> *Background:* Wikipedia Article: translated into Latin from Greek (Aphorismi by Hippocrates):
> 
> _*Latin:
> *Vita brevis, __ars longa, __
> occasio praeceps, __experimentum periculosum, __iudicium difficile.
> *English:
> *__Life is short, and Art long, _
> _opportunity fleeting, experience perilous, and decision difficult._
> 
> *Question:* How could this be translated into Persian, Urdu, and Hindi?
> 
> Attempt:
> حیات / زندگی  مختصر، فن طویل
> موقع عارضی، تجربہ خطرناک، فیصلہ مشکل



Is n't the wording in the the actual quote in a slightly different order?

"Ars longa, vita brevis, occasio praeceps, experimentum periculosum, iudicium difficile."

hai hunar ko muddat darkaar
lekin zindagii hai pur-ixtisaar
mauqa3 mile kabhii-kabhaar
haiN mashq meN bahut xitaar
faisalah karnaa aur dushvaar


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## Alfaaz

*Thanks for the brilliant replies everyone!* 


> Is n't the wording in the the actual quote in a slightly different order?


Yes, I believe in Greek it is as you have given it, but in Latin the order was changed....maybe (depending on source).


> hai hunar ko muddat darkaar
> lekin zindagii hai pur-ixtisaar
> mauqa3 mile kabhii-kabhaar
> haiN mashq meN bahut xitaar
> faisalah karnaa aur dushvaar


VERY Impressive and Brilliant!!! Is this translation done by you Qureshpor SaaHib?

*Question: *
Would my attempt work, if someone was wanting the same brevity-two words as in Latin...?


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## Qureshpor

Alfaaz said:


> *Background:* Wikipedia Article: translated into Latin from Greek (Aphorismi by Hippocrates):
> 
> _*Latin:
> *Vita brevis, __ars longa, __
> occasio praeceps, __experimentum periculosum, __iudicium difficile.
> *English:
> *__Life is short, and Art long, _
> _opportunity fleeting, experience perilous, and decision difficult._
> 
> *Question:* How could this be translated into Persian, Urdu, and Hindi?
> 
> Attempt:
> حیات / زندگی  مختصر، فن طویل
> موقع عارضی، تجربہ خطرناک، فیصلہ مشکل



Here is an attempt in Punjabi.

kaariigarii nuuN lagge muddat
par jind e terii bo_htii tho_hRii
mauqa3 e mildaa e kadii kadii
naale mashq e D_haaDii koRii
faisalah vii e ik aukhii po_hRii!


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## Alfaaz

> Here is an attempt in Punjabi.
> 
> kaariigarii nuuN lagge muddat
> par jind e terii bo_htii tho_hRii
> mauqa3 e miildaa e kadii kadii
> naale mashq e D_haaDii koRii
> faisalah vii e ik aukhii po_hRii!



 Again, fantastic (even though I probably didn't understand all of it) and even shocking! How do you generate these so quickly.....or are these used expressions which I am unaware of?


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## Qureshpor

Alfaaz said:


> *Thanks for the brilliant replies everyone!*
> 
> Yes, I believe in Greek it is as you have given it, but in Latin the order was changed....maybe (depending on source).
> 
> VERY Impressive and Brilliant!!! Is this translation done by you Qureshpor SaaHib?
> 
> *Question: *
> Would my attempt work, if someone was wanting the same brevity-two words as in Latin...?



Thank you for the compliments. Yes, it is my translation.

Of course it can be made to be brief, as you have done.

der-yaab hunar
zindagii muxtasar
fursat kam-tar
tajribah purxatar
faisalah duubhar


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## UrduMedium

Wonderful quote Alfaaz, and excellent translations, QP saahab.


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## UrduMedium

QP saahab, thanks for the lead. This novice is also attempting to translate ...

hai hunar sabr talab
zindagii hai thoRii sii
mauzuuN mauq3e kamyaab
tajribah pur takliif
faisalah karna 3azaab


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## Qureshpor

Here is my attempt at the Farsi and Hindi versions.

hunar der-aayand
zindagii roze chand
dastyaaft naayaab
aazmaa'ish siijnaak
aahang girahnaak

............................

shilp dur-labh
jiivan do din
avsar kshaNik
prayog jokhim
nirNRay kaThin


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## greatbear

Excellent translations in all languages, QP (well, I don't understand Persian and only partly Punjabi, but I am assuming so from your excellent ones in Urdu and Hindi). My attempt in Hindi:

hunar kii hai shataayuu
jeevan hai do ghaRii kaa
mauqaa kshaNik
pariikshaa jokhim bharii
nirNay mushkil

Note, Alfaaz, that in your original post, I believe the English translation should be "experiment", not "experience".


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## Alfaaz

Thanks for replying everyone!


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## marrish

greatbear said:


> Excellent translations in all languages, QP (well, I don't understand Persian and only partly Punjabi, but I am assuming so from your excellent ones in Urdu and Hindi). My attempt in Hindi:
> 
> hunar kii hai shataayuu
> jeevan hai do ghaRii kaa
> mauqaa kshaNik
> pariikshaa jokhim bharii
> nirNay mushkil
> 
> Note, Alfaaz, that in your original post, I believe the English translation should be "experiment", not "experience".



gb, I like your translation. I too think the English translation should have been 'experiment', but _pariikshaa_ doesn't seem to follow suit.

We might go for jiivan _kshaNR bhar, ... jokhim bharii_?


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## UrduMedium

Alfaaz said:


> *Background:* Wikipedia Article: translated into Latin from Greek (Aphorismi by Hippocrates):
> 
> _*Latin:
> *Vita brevis, __ars longa, __
> occasio praeceps, __experimentum periculosum, __iudicium difficile.
> *English:
> *__Life is short, and Art long, _
> _opportunity fleeting, experience perilous, and decision difficult._
> 
> *Question:* How could this be translated into Persian, Urdu, and Hindi?
> 
> Attempt:
> حیات / زندگی  مختصر، فن طویل
> موقع عارضی، تجربہ خطرناک، فیصلہ مشکل


 I happened to mention this quote to a few friends. Interestingly, one of them commented that Shafiqur Rahman ends his book Dajlah with an Urdu translation of this quote. See image below for it.


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## Alfaaz

> I happened to mention this quote to a few friends. Interestingly, one of them commented that Shafiqur Rahman ends his book Dajlah with an Urdu translation of this quote. See image below for it.
> Hippocrates-Buqrat.JPG


Great! Thanks!


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## Faylasoof

Alfaaz said:


> *Background:* Wikipedia Article: translated into Latin from Greek (Aphorismi by Hippocrates):
> 
> _*Latin:
> *Vita brevis, __ars longa, __
> occasio praeceps, __experimentum periculosum, __iudicium difficile.
> *English:
> *__Life is short, and Art long, _
> _opportunity fleeting, experience perilous, and decision difficult._
> 
> *Question:* How could this be translated into Persian, Urdu, and Hindi?
> 
> Attempt:
> حیات / زندگی  مختصر، فن طویل
> موقع عارضی، تجربہ خطرناک، فیصلہ مشکل



Urdu
*Hayaat daur-e-qaliil*_ hai_
_fan laa yatanaahii-o-daxiil hai _
_mauqa3 3aariDhii o 3ajiil hai_
_tajribah dushwaar o *xaTiir* hai_
_faiSalah be-Had mushkil paziir hai_

Persian
_zindagii mithl-e-gul_
_hunar naghma-e-bulbul_
_dastyaaft kamyaab_
_azamaa’ish *xaTiir*_
_taSmiim saxtgiir _

... and just for comparison (and some fun!),
Arabic
_inna al-*Hayaata duarun qaliilun*_
_wal mahaaratu ighraaqun Tawiilun_
_al-furSatu faa’itun zaa’ilun_
_wal tajrabatu 3awiiSun *xaTiirun* _
_al-Hukmu Sa3bun wa 3asiirun _


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## Alfaaz

Thanks for the great reply Faylasoof SaaHib!


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