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  3. Poetry & Literature

mèner ... où ... les voiles tomberaient

English translation: guide me ...when... the veils would be lifted

10:45 Sep 25, 2009
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
French term or phrase: mèner ... où ... les voiles tomberaient
Hello,

Could you help me? The author speaks about her gardian angel. The text:

L'ange était un partenaire loyal qui me *mènerait à l'instant crucial où, face au mensonge, les voiles tomberaient* révélant le sens de mon existence.

Thank you in advance for your help and comments!
svetlana cosquéric
France
Local time: 05:58
English translation:guide me ...when... the veils would be lifted
Explanation:
A variation on the theme, based on more common collocations: a guardian angels guides (or leads) and protects ; the veils are lifted (or fall) from our eyes... Thus:
a loyal partner who would guide me to the crucial moment when, confronted with deceit, the veils would be lifted, revealing the (true) meaning of my existence.
Seems to me "le mensonge" is either a lie already mentioned, or deceit.
Selected response from:

Susan Nicholls
Local time: 13:58
Grading comment
Thank you, Susan!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4guide me ...when... the veils would be lifted
Susan Nicholls
4 +2would lead ... when ... the veils would fall
B D Finch
4Would lead me to the crucial point when, faced with lies, the veils would be removed, revealing..
HugoSteckel
3 +1would take me to the crucial moment when, faced with lies, the veils would fall
mimi 254
4gave me guidance at crucial moments when [...] veils fell
Helen Shiner
3carry me ... to where the veils would fall
A Word For I (X)
3should escort/lead me till....the final curtains will fall
Philippe Lascourrèges
2lead me to a moment of transfiguration
Loperhet (X)


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Would lead me to the crucial point when, faced with lies, the veils would be removed, revealing..


Explanation:
Perhaps instead of "faced with lies", you could have "plagued with lies"; "living a life of lies", etc.

HugoSteckel
Switzerland
Local time: 05:58
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, hjs45!

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25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
carry me ... to where the veils would fall


Explanation:
The Angel was a faithful partner who -

"would carry/lead me away at the vital moment [to the place] where, face to face with falsehood [fabrication/lies/untruth, fictions, etc.], the veils of mourning / the [mourning] veils would fall"

- alternatively, "faced with lies/falsehood/etc."

- revealing the meaning of my existence / my life







A Word For I (X)
Local time: 20:58
Native speaker of: English
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Edward!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Lianne Wilson: Where are you getting 'mourning' from?
1 hr
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54 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
would take me to the crucial moment when, faced with lies, the veils would fall


Explanation:
my suggestion

mimi 254
Local time: 04:58
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, mimi 254!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lianne Wilson
44 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
would lead ... when ... the veils would fall


Explanation:
... would lead me at the crucial moment when, confronted with the lie, the veils would fall ...

B D Finch
France
Local time: 05:58
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 43
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, B D Finch!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  arrathoonlaa
2 hrs
agree  :::::::::: (X)
4 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
lead me to a moment of transfiguration


Explanation:
changing the image maybe or condensing it

Loperhet (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:58
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Loperhet!

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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
guide me ...when... the veils would be lifted


Explanation:
A variation on the theme, based on more common collocations: a guardian angels guides (or leads) and protects ; the veils are lifted (or fall) from our eyes... Thus:
a loyal partner who would guide me to the crucial moment when, confronted with deceit, the veils would be lifted, revealing the (true) meaning of my existence.
Seems to me "le mensonge" is either a lie already mentioned, or deceit.

Susan Nicholls
Local time: 13:58
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 48
Grading comment
Thank you, Susan!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  HugoSteckel: I like "would be lifted" rather than "fell". It is a much more common usage, and one which reads a lot better.
31 mins
agree  claudiocambon: Yes, to lift a veil is how one connotes the act of revelation in English. Curtains fall, excuses are dropped, defenses fall, but veils are lifted in order to see.
2 hrs
agree  Verginia Ophof
5 hrs
agree  John Detre: Yes, sounds good (but maybe "when the veils **are** lifted" would be better -- do we need the conditional here in English?
1 day 41 mins
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
gave me guidance at crucial moments when [...] veils fell


Explanation:
One way of saying it. The idea being that suddenly the person concerned saw things more clearly and realised that something was a lie - the veil lifted/fell revealing the truth of the situation.

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Note added at 16 mins (2009-09-25 11:02:45 GMT)
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"I, [magical motto], do hereby declare that it is my will to achieve the Vision of my Holy Guardian Angel. Humbly yet frankly, I request my Angel to grant me this Vision, for it is permitted for the Man of Earth to see the Angel, though not to know or converse with it. To this end I open the gates of the paths from the Crown to the Kingdom, each in turn. May the Holy Spirit pass down them: and may the keys of Spirit unlock the way of the lightning flash to empower my soul, so that the veils may be lifted and my Spirit see. So Mote It Be!"
http://thelemistas.org/en/MSS/SpiritualExercises/13-angel

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Note added at 20 mins (2009-09-25 11:05:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Your angels want you to know what is true and what is not. As the veil of illusion is lifted, you will see yourself and others differently. When you view the world as it really is, pain and suffering leave you. Grief and sadness dissolve into a greater understanding. Peace of mind comes to those who strive for truth.
http://www.near-death.com/forum/nde/001/35.html

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Note added at 21 mins (2009-09-25 11:07:05 GMT)
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Perhaps guided me at crucial points since that fits best with the idea of spirit guides, another term for guardian angels.

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Note added at 5 hrs (2009-09-25 16:29:37 GMT)
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I still prefer not to use the 'would' 'would' formulation. To my ears it sounds unnecessarily stilted.

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:58
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 72
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Helen! thank you for your comments!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  writeaway: à l'instant isn't moments and tomberaient isn't past tense
6 mins
  -> I am freely translating here, though strictly speaking you are correct.
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2 days 9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
should escort/lead me till....the final curtains will fall


Explanation:
Just a try

should escort/lead me till the moment when, facing the lying, the final curtains will fall, revealing my life wits

Philippe Lascourrèges
France
Local time: 05:58
Native speaker of: French
Notes to answerer
Asker: Merci Philippe!

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