Best Spanish Translation for proverb: It is beautiful...

Question

What is the best Spanish translation for:

How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward.

Thanks!!

Answer 1

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for all your help. I work with cancer patients - not in a medical sense but I help during or after treatment with Permanent Make-up for eyebrows lost to chemo or breast reconstruction areola repigmentation. For some of us we need to be required to rest and if no one tells us we feel obligated to get up and do something. I tell my clients that during the treatment they do nothing and afterwards they need to rest.

I do not recall when I first heard this proverb. Part of my family is from Brazil and an adopted part from Mexico. Unfortunately I have been so americanized that I while I understand quite a bit, I speak almost none of either language.

Especially helpful are the grammatical tips.

Have a Beautiful Day!

Thank you for posting, Veriditas. Welcome to the forum! - rac1, Nov 5, 2012

How kind of you to thank us! Especially if it was 3 years since you asked the question. - annierats, Nov 5, 2012

Answer 2

Just a try:

¡Que bueno es no hacer nada y descansar después!

"Que bonito es hacer nada...y luego descansar." The answer above has 2 negatives: ¡Que bueno es no hacer nada y descansar después! If you translate "no hacer nada" means to not do nothing. And if you are NOT doing NOTHING, you must be doing SOMETHING - gabet123, Nov 4, 2012

'Good effort. Bienvenido. - annierats, Nov 4, 2012

In direct translations, that's true, but the double negative is very much a legitimate part of Spanish, and can't be literally translated. "No hacer nada" wouldprobably be understood as 0068 intended. - Noetol, Nov 4, 2012

No hacer nada = to not do "anything" :) - ian-hill, Nov 4, 2012

or " not to do anything" if you don't like split infintives - ian-hill, Nov 4, 2012

This question was asked in 2009! - rac1, Nov 4, 2012

OH, we missed this, we were busy doing nothing for a couple of years. Thank you for pointing it out. - annierats, Nov 5, 2012

Answer 3

Double negatives are not only accepted in Spanish but they are required for proper grammar such as in this case.

¡Que bueno es no hacer nada y descansar después! ..... This is correct.

It might make more sense to the English speaker and slightly less awkward if it is considered like this: "Qué bonito es el hecho de no hacer nada y descansar después" (without "no" here, the sentence is not complete).

Answer 4

I understand the double negatives are used alot in Spanish. They are used a lot in English too and it's NOT correct! No estoy haciendo nada means exactly I'm not doing anything. See: http://www.elcastellano.org/consultas.php?Tag=negaci

Thay aenot used a lot in England: I didn't see nobody is incorrect . It will not be understood. - annierats, Nov 4, 2012

Although, people do say ' I aint' done nothing' . I'm very sorry to have to admit to having heard this many times. - annierats, Nov 5, 2012

Answer 5

Can't say I ever saw this "proverb" before. Please can you advise us where you found it.

"How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward."

Hacer nada; que bueno es, despues descansar, aun mejor.

Answer 6

Que bonito es no hacer nada, y después de no hacer nada, descansar.

There is a song, I'll try to find the link in a moment.

enter link description here

The link now works! The words come up. Just go past the Simpsons at the beginning, I'm not good at links. - annierats, Nov 4, 2012

Good job, Annie! :)) - Noetol, Nov 4, 2012

Thanks, doing links takes me at least 3 goes.. - annierats, Nov 4, 2012

Answer 7

Native person? You are kidding me right?

A native dog will hardly be much help. Anyway, not to worry. - annierats, Nov 4, 2012

Native dog? Annierats: You are not being not civil. You are not being not rude. - gabet123, Nov 4, 2012

No, not at all. Unless you're a native which would complicate matters. But then, we're all natives of somewhwre or other, are we not? - annierats, Nov 4, 2012

But who brought the "dog" in? - geofc, Nov 5, 2012

What dog? - rac1, Nov 5, 2012

lol this is sooooooooo funny x ;) - Ellalouise, Nov 5, 2012

@ A ellalou: Wolfie, my dog thanks you! ( He didn't understand anything, but he liked being involved) - annierats, Nov 5, 2012

Answer 8

"Que bonito es hacer nada...y luego descansar."

The answer above has 2 negatives: ¡Que bueno es no hacer nada y descansar después!
If you translate "no hacer nada" means to not do nothing. And if you are NOT doing NOTHING, you must be doing SOMETHING.

Spanish uses the double negative alot, it's just one of those differences. - annierats, Nov 4, 2012

Try going to this address to investigate negation and double negatives http://www.spanishdict.com/topics/show/27 - Noetol, Nov 4, 2012

Double negatives are mostly acceptable in Spanish. Read Don Quijote and bear in mind that one of the RAE's declared objectives is to maintain the language so that modern users can continue to be familiar with the writings of Cervantes. - geofc, Nov 5, 2012

Answer 9

Example: No vi a nadie. Si no viste a nadie, viste a alguien.

Common usage actually means you didn't see anyone. Await native person. - annierats, Nov 4, 2012