Fortune favors...

Discussion in 'All Languages' started by Encolpius, Mar 22, 2013.

  1. Encolpius

    Encolpius Senior Member

    Hello, there are two similar idioms. Do you know them and what idioms do you use in your language? Thanks.

    English: Fortune favors fools. - Fortune favors the brave.
    Latin: Fortuna favet fatuis. - Fortuna favet fortibus.
    Hungarian: Bolondnak áll a világ. - Bátraké a szerencse.
  2. mataripis

    mataripis Senior Member

    trial in Tagalog; Matimbang ang kapalaran sa Matapang.
  3. Encolpius

    Encolpius Senior Member

    Hello mataripis, so you have one proverb for two proverbs? That must be fantastic! I hope you understand this topic (just like the other ones)... ;)
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2013
  4. apmoy70

    apmoy70 Senior Member

    We are familiar with the second one, it's a well-known Thucydidean principal:
    «Τοῖς τολμῶσιν ἡ τύχη ξύμφορος» (in modern pronunciation) [tis tol'mosin i 'tiçi 'ksimforos]
    It appears also in Virgil's Aeneid as:
    Audentes fortuna iuvat
    In Modern Greek:
    «Η Τύχη βοηθά τους τολμηρούς» [i 'tiçi vo.i'θa tus tolmi'rus]

    The ancient saying is the motto of the Greek Army's School of Aviation
  5. Maroseika Moderator

    Russian - no similar pair of proverbs, but the one about fools is very alike:
    Дуракам счастье (Fortune - for fools).

    And a lot of proverbs with more or less the same sense about the braves:
    Кто смел, тот и съел (who is brave, that one has eaten up).
    Смелость города берет (bravery takes towns).
  6. ahmedcowon Senior Member

    The second is used in Arabic but not common:

    الحظ حليف الشجعان
    /al-ḥaDH ḥaleef ash-shuj3aan/ (Fortune is the ally of braves)
  7. mataripis

    mataripis Senior Member

    I translated it to Tagalog and here are some details of Tagalog words i used. 1.) matimbang means more weights and another form for the word "favor".2.) Kapalaran means fortune with root word "palad means palm (the palm lines have meanings) and 3.) matapang is brave. So i can re write this proverb into "Kapalara'y matimbang sa matapang".
  8. DearPrudence

    DearPrudence Dépêche Mod

    French (lower Normandy)
    In French, in common language, we just use the second one:
    "La chance/fortune sourit aux audacieux" (very literally: "Fortune smiles to bold people")

Share This Page