# The love in my heart refreshes and restores me



## cassx

Hi all

I am hoping to translate the sentence: The love in my heart refreshes and restores me.

The meaning I am trying to convey is that as long as I have love inside me (the ability to love and give), that love refreshes and restores me (physically, emotionally and spiritually).'

I'm not too concerned whether the love is "inside me" or "in my heart", as long as it is within me, but I do want to emphasize the fact that it 'refreshes and restores' me.

I've tried translations online but they seem inconsistent. Some of the translations I have seen so far are "*me recreat et reficit in dilectione mea*", "*me cor meum in amore ac recreat*" and "*caritatem intra me refrigeravit, et susceptor meus es*".

Any help and suggestions is highly appreciated.

Thank you in advance. 

Cass


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## S i m e o n

Dilectio, qua in corde meo est, reficit me ac roborat
Dilectione, qua accessit cor meum, reficior ac roboror.
Incolatu dilectioni in corde meo reficior ac roboror.
Dilectio cor meum amplectens renovat me ac confirmat.
Dilectione intus commorante, renovor et confirmor.

Many other solutions are possible... you know what I did, by the way? I picked words from the chapter on "Grace" of an old _Theologiae Dogmaticae_ handbook for seminarists.


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## wandle

I hate to be critical of such an offering, but a few points should be made.
Again, it should be *quae*, not *qua*.
_*Dilectio*_ is a Late Latin term, not from the classical period.
*Accedo* means 'approach', and with the accusative only in a literal sense.
*Incolatu dilectioni* does not work; *incolatu* is the ablative of incolatus 'an indwelling' (also non-classical), *dilectioni* is the dative of _*dilectio*_, both nouns. Presumably the intention was *incolatu dilectionis* 'by indwelling of love', a pleasing phrase, but not classical Latin (i.e. not what would have been used by any educated native speaker).
*Amplector* means 'embrace', either literally (one physical thing enclosing another) or metaphorically (a definition embracing terms, a speech embracing a topic, etc.) but not a mixture of the two (love embracing a heart).
*Commoror*, 'tarry' or 'stay', is used of a personal subject, such as someone staying in a place, or dwelling on a topic in speech.

What would I suggest instead? For example, *amor cordis me recreat atque confirmat*.


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## S i m e o n

wandle said:


> I hate to be critical of such an offering, but a few points should be made.
> Again, it should be *quae*, not *qua*.


Your critics are very welcome!
And again, yeah... I'll learn to write it right, someday 


wandle said:


> *Accedo* means 'approach', and with the accusative only in a literal sense.


I'm very interested on knowing where to learn those things on latin language. 


wandle said:


> *Incolatu dilectioni* does not work; *incolatu* is the ablative of incolatus 'an indwelling' (also non-classical), *dilectioni* is the dative of _*dilectio*_, both nouns. Presumably the intention was *incolatu dilectionis* 'by indwelling of love', a pleasing phrase, but not classical Latin (i.e. not what would have been used by any educated native speaker).


Of course it was _dilectionis_. Anyway I didn't even try to keep "classic", I mean... when I tried to come up with ideas on how to translate, I thought on something sounding more or less like the lyric passages you can read in the _Vulgata._


wandle said:


> *Amplector* means 'embrace', either literally (one physical thing enclosing another) or metaphorically (a definition embracing terms, a speech embracing a topic, etc.) but not a mixture of the two (love embracing a heart).





wandle said:


> *Commoror*, 'tarry' or 'stay', is used of a personal subject, such as someone staying in a place, or dwelling on a topic in speech.


Again, I'm interested in knowing how to get to that deep knowledge of latin language, because, until now, the only thing I did has been to read. If you think it may be off-topic here, I'd be pleased on receiving a private message on that subject from you.


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## wandle

S i m e o n said:


> I'm interested in knowing how to get to that deep knowledge of latin language, because, until now, the only thing I did has been to read.


I hope this is not off-topic, as the questions you raise do affect this thread - and indeed many others.

As a former teacher of classics, including Latin composition (translation into Latin), I have a basis of knowledge in the first place.
Nevertheless, for the level of detail and assurance in the above comments, the indispensable aid is Lewis & Short's Latin Dictionary, the tool I have used over many years. It is still very trustworthy, despite its publication date (1879). It analyses words in detail and gives textual references supporting the interpretation of each word and each sense of each word. It also shows clearly which words and usages belong to which period, goes into grammatical detail and includes fascinating etymological information.

There are also many links for grammar, syntax and other aspects in the 'sticky' threads in this Latin forum.


> Anyway I didn't even try to keep "classic", I mean... when I tried to come up with ideas on how to translate, I thought on something sounding more or less like the lyric passages you can read in the _Vulgata._


A very natural parallel to think of. This raises the interesting question of what Latin, and in particular authentic Latin, is.

I was taught, and in turn used to teach, Latin as used in the classical period (golden age) and even within that drew a clear distinction between the practice of prose authors such as Cicero, Caesar or Livy and that of poets such as Virgil, Horace or Ovid. That training and practice naturally gives me a bias towards that period and style.

Nevertheless, it is clear that authentic Latin was used by writers of other periods. As long as Latin was a spoken language, whatever educated native speakers produced must be regarded as authentic.

However, this means that we have to recognise several different periods of Latin: pre-classical, golden age, silver age, post-classical, late Latin, in each of which the style and vocabulary showed distinct differences. From the teacher's point of view, it would be impossible to attempt to teach all of these and it would be inauthentic to teach a sort of mixed Latin from all periods (and in particular points of vocabulary and grammar it would be impossible). Thus one period has to be selected for teaching and the golden age (say 50 BC to 50 AD, with some leeway at either end) is traditionally regarded as best in terms of the recognised quality of authors.


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## cassx

Hi!

Thank you both for your input! I really appreciate it.

*Wandle*, could you kindly elaborate on your choice of *amor cordis me recreat atque confirmat*? For example, why did you choose *confirmat*?

I have never studied Latin before and I just want to understand the sentence as much as I possibly can.

Thank you.

Cass


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## wandle

cassx said:


> why did you choose *confirmat*?


The verb *confirmo* means 'strengthen' and is particularly used of strengthening someone's courage or resolution.


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## wandle

To expand on the above: the basic question is, how should we understand the English?
If you see 'refresh' and 'restore' as nearly synonymous, then you could either (a) omit one, or else (b) have two closely similar Latin words.
If you see the English words as distinct, then you would (c) look for Latin words to bring out the difference.

How much difference can we find?
Both the English terms start with 're-', implying '[do something] again', but apart from that, 'refresh' is more temporary or superficial, whereas 'restore' implies something more structural and lasting. 

*Recreat* can in fact convey both senses and is a good candidate for option (a).
For option (b), you could say *recreat atque reficit*.
I went for option (c), but avoided the repetition of 're-'. *Confirmo* is a strengthened form of *firmo*, which means 'strengthen' or 'make stable' in a basic sense. *Confirmo* is regularly used in reference to personal qualities or character. It is a good term for speaking of strengthened resolution. Thus I suggested *recreo* to convey the repetition and the more superficial sense, and *confirmo* for the stronger sense.
If the effect of *confirmo* is seen as following that of *recreo*, then *confirmo* strengthens the renewal implied by *recreo*: the sense of 're-' is not lost.


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## cassx

Thanks for breaking that down, that was very helpful and thorough. 


In the english version I read refresh and restore distinct from each other, yet related in a progressive way.


However I feel that 'confirmat' is an appropriate add on to the sentence and I'm quite happy with it. 


This was more than I had hoped for, thank you both so much for your help. 


Cass


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