.....so help you God?

Question

en un juicio dicen: Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? ¿Usted jura de decir la verdad, la verdad entera, y nada más que la verdad..... (so help you God)? mi problema es como se traduce "so help you God?"

¡Hola, Brito! !Bienvenido al foro! Hi, Brito! Welcome to the forum! - sanlee, Jan 30, 2011

gracias. - brito6162, Jan 30, 2011

Brito...acabo de adicionar un comentario. Aunque ya votaste. Léelo y me avisas qué te parece. - gone, Jan 30, 2011

Answer 1

Una pregunta: ¿Creen que la forma "so help you God" es correcta, gramaticamente? La respuesta a la pregunta "so help me God" creo que sí, pero la pregunta a mí no me suena bien.

De todos modos, creo que se necesita traducir la frase al subjuntivo, que Dios le/lo/la ayude, aunque la original parezca de indicativo al traducirla literalmente.

Yes, "so help you God" is the way it is said...I think it is a slightly archaic structure, which is probably why is sounds strange to you...it's an example of English subjunctive, if I'm not mistaken. - webdunce, Jan 31, 2011

Answer 2

Hola:

Easy solution:

Say, "ante Dios". Remember, meaning before words.

thank you, this is what i was looking for. - brito6162, Jan 31, 2011

Answer 3

In the UK, one can affirm rather than oathe:

I do solemnly sincerely and truly declare and affirm that the evidence I shall give be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Less hassle to translate maybe...

Requiring a witness to swear an oath with a reference to God was declared unconstitutional in the US 50 years ago. - lorenzo9, Jan 31, 2011

I'm surprised, esp. after reading that In God We Trust was adopted as the official motto of the United States in 1956... - afowen, Jan 31, 2011

I work in 3 different courthouses and judges use that all the time... - LuisaGomezBartle, Jan 31, 2011

Am affirmation instead of an oath? - afowen, Jan 31, 2011

An oath with "so help you God". - LuisaGomezBartle, Jan 31, 2011

Seems quite the loophole - as would be swearing on your mothers life when she's already dead, for many... - afowen, Jan 31, 2011

*mother's - afowen, Jan 31, 2011

I just interpret whatever they say, whatever, I work in Kentucky after all, bible belt 100%. - LuisaGomezBartle, Jan 31, 2011

Well... at least there's the whisky :-) - afowen, Jan 31, 2011

Thank *God* ;) - LuisaGomezBartle, Jan 31, 2011

:-) - afowen, Jan 31, 2011

Answer 4

In earlier times, it was a very serious matter to swear something in the name of God. The punishment (by humans) could be graver if the person was found to have committed perjury. It is similar to a person taking an oath with his hand on the Bible.

Answer 5

I have always believed that "so help you God" refers to the Divine Punishment you'll receive if you commit perjury.

There's an interesting discussion on WordReference that appears to support this.

Furthermore, there's a whole lengthy explanation on lectlaw that explains the historical origin of the oath:

It is proper to distinguish two things in oaths; 1. The invocation by which the God of truth, who knows all things, is taken to witness. 2. The imprecation by which he is asked as a just and all-powerful being, to punish perjury.

Answer 6

only those of you that really know or have some idea of how to say it should reply. Everybody else : DON'T suggest anything !!!!!!!

Answer 7

No puedes traducirlo si no crees en dios, porque sería como decir que Papa Noel (o Peter Pan) te ha echado una mano. Es increíble que el sistema legal use la religión como argumento, pero así funcionan las cosas. Si no te gusta, vete a otro país.

estan jurando bajo Dios que diran la verdad. no se trata de religion. - brito6162, Jan 30, 2011

Entonces, ¿están diciendo la verdad en términos científicos? - lazarus1907, Jan 30, 2011

crees que podria ser;:con ayuda de dios? - brito6162, Jan 30, 2011

Lazarus: ¿por qué eres tan agresivo? - Agora, Jan 30, 2011

Estoy de acuerdo, Agora. Necesita un dosis de algo que lo calme. Jesus, Mary and Joseph! - gone, Jan 30, 2011

¿Agresivo? ¿Es ilegal no creer en dioses? En muchos países no se jura ante ningún dios, porque la gente no cree en ellos. ¿Cómo lo traduces entonces? ¿Son agresivos estos países también? - lazarus1907, Jan 31, 2011

Tambien es importante recordar que la constitución está fundada principalmente en la separación del estado y la Iglesia. Religion no debe tener nada que ver con las cosas legales, pero así es :/ - athegr8, Jan 31, 2011

Answer 8

I would say ---: Jura solemnemente to take care of the "So help you God" portion of the question.

yo creo que : "jura solemnemente" seria do you solemnly swear. al principio dicen: do you solemly swear to tell the truth...... muchas gracia como quiera. - brito6162, Jan 30, 2011

Tu frase no lo incluia al pricipio. De ahi mi sugerencia. - gone, Jan 31, 2011

Answer 9

"Jura decir la verdad, sólo la verdad y nada más que la verdad? que Dios lo ayude....