Y en Ingles:

? 'so, do not despair when doubt and fear seem to plague your soul, for doubt is the fuel that inspires us to search for answers, and fear, the weapon that reveals our power.?

Es lo que se me ocurre a bote pronto.

Y en Ingles:

? 'so, do not despair when doubt and fear seem to plague your soul, for doubt is the fuel that inspires us to search for answers, and fear, the weapon that reveals our power.?

Es lo que se me ocurre a bote pronto.

Thank you Heidita, but tell me something. Are these mistakes that you are pointing out, or is it that you consider it to be a better interpretation of the idea'

? 'so, do not despair when doubt and fear seem to plague your soul, for doubt is the fuel that inspires us to search for answers, and fear, the weapon that reveals our power.?

Es lo que se me ocurre a bote pronto.

I totally agree with Heidita's changes:

• "appear" makes me think of "showing up" ("aparecer") rather than the original Spanish meaning
• "for it is doubt the fuel..." is quite an unusual English construction (it may be correct but I've never seen it)

I would also add that the comma after "and fear" should be removed: "and fear the weapon that reveals our power".

Mís dos centavos...

Aren't the verbs to appear and to seem synonyms?
He appears to be a nice man.
He seems to be a nice man.

Appear = Aparentar'same as seem'no?

and, if I remove the comma, wouldn't it mean then that, "We fear the weapon that reveals our power"'

Aren't the verbs to appear and to seem synonyms?

He appears to be a nice man.

He seems to be a nice man.

Appear = Aparentar'same as seem'no?

You are right, but "appear" also means "to show up" ("aparecer" en español). When I first read your sentence, I had to stop to think if it meant "when doubt and fear show up to plague your soul" or "when doubt and fear seem to plague your soul". Hence my corroboration of Heidita's suggestion.

and, if I remove the comma, wouldn't it mean then that, "We fear the weapon that reveals our power"?

With the comma, it reads like the "the search for answers and [for] fear". To me anyway.

I guess the main problem with your English version is that it retains neither the poetry nor the clarity of the original Spanish. I'm not a poet but I'll give it a try:

Therefore let us not despair when doubt and fear blossom in our hearts, for doubt is the flame that lightens our path, and fear is the weapon that reveals our true valor

But that's as far as I can go. I ventured too far into foreign territory

It sounds awesome...the thing is that I'm trying not to make it so poetic because it is part of a class I'm giving at the Temple...but your version sounds very nice.

I'm a big fan of not slavishly sticking to the original in translation, but in this case I agree with aurino that a more literal rendering is both more faithful to the original and sounds perfectly natural in English. A couple of comments on his version:

'Por lo tanto, no nos desalentemos cuando la duda brote en nuestro corazón, ya que la duda es la llama que ilumina el sendero de la búsqueda, y el temor es el arma que revela nuestro verdadero valor.?

Therefore let us not despair when doubt and fear blossom in our hearts, for doubt is the flame that lightens our path, and fear is the weapon that reveals our true valor

1. Blossom is usually used in a positive sense, so I don't think it is appropriate here. Brotar can also mean to well up, as in tears well up, and I like that image here, that of doubt slowing filling the spaces of our heart.

2. Lighten means to make lighter (less heavy), so it isn't right here.

3. The "de la búsqueda" part is not translated.

4. Question to Robert: Valor can mean either bravery (as aurino has translated it) or value/worth. Which meaning is it here? I can't tell from the context, but the English meanings are completely distinct and should not be conflated.

My version:

Therefore let us not despair when doubt and fear well up in our hearts, for doubt is the flame that illuminates the path on our search, and fear is the weapon that reveals our true valor/worth.

Valor as in valiant. A scared person (fear) can be more dangerous than a tiger...when we realize the object or our fear and feel the NEED to change, then we are able to tackle the problem more determinedly...it's what I mean

1. Lighten means to make lighter (less heavy), so it isn't right here.

It is right (http://www.answers.com/lighten), although perhaps a bit ambiguous.

Well, we do use lighten, for example, in the context of making a color lighter, and while there may be rare occasions where it is used to mean increase the amount of light, I can't recall seeing it used to mean "to illuminate," which is the meaning here. In that meaning, "to light" is the verb used much more often. (Someone will probably provide evidence of lighten being used to mean to light, but I still say it doesn't work in the present context, if for no other reason than ambiguity.)

Valor as in valiant. A scared person (fear) can be more dangerous than a tiger...when we realize the object or our fear and feel the NEED to change, then we are able to tackle the problem more determinedly...it's what I mean

If that is the case, I don't think "weapon" conveys the idea in English. A weapon is used against an enemy, but you seem to be saying that fear brings out our true valor. I realize that you are writing this in Spanish, so I'll have to let a native speaker comment on whether the arma metaphor works in that language.

and fear, the key that unlocks our true valor...how about that'

Someone will probably provide evidence of lighten being used to mean to light

And indeed here is the evidence, from none other than The Bard himself:

I have no joy of this contract to-night:
It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
Ere one can say 'It lightens.' Sweet, good night!

(from "Romeo and Juliet", Act II, Scene II)

but I still say it doesn't work in the present context, if for no other reason than ambiguity

I agree it is ambiguous, but I don't like "illuminate" or any alternative I can think of.

Oh the vagaries of language...

and fear, the key that unlocks our true valor...how about that?

Eso me gusta mucho más. Nos da una impresión positiva, a diferencia de "arma," la cual tiene una connotación negativa.

Por lo tanto, no nos desalentemos cuando la duda brote en nuestro corazón, ya que la duda es la llama que ilumina el sendero de la búsqueda, y el temor la llave que libera nuestro verdadero valor.

so, do not despair when doubt and fear appear to plague your soul, for it is doubt the fuel that inspires us to search for answers, and fear, the key that unlocks our true valor.