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скалу, разрушая нынешнюю систему

English translation: crush the mountain with a hammer, destroying the current system

17:14 Apr 22, 2013
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Russian term or phrase: скалу, разрушая нынешнюю систему
Cliff that is destroying the present system...?

An old man from Ukraine at a family dinner disapproving of his relative's involvement in politics.

— Помешался он совсем на всех этих делах, чужим словам все вторит. “Я, — говорит, — желаю, чтобы наш главный не забывал про великую миссию, какую Господь на него возложил”. А чего на него Господь возложил… “Он должен ломать молотом скалу, разрушая нынешнюю систему… Да только ему не самому ту скалу придется ломать — мы ему поможем”.
Deborah Hoffman
Local time: 21:31
English translation:crush the mountain with a hammer, destroying the current system
Explanation:
I'm afraid you misread the source. This is the meaning, however badly phrased.
Selected response from:

Mark Berelekhis
United States
Local time: 21:31
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +7crush the mountain with a hammer, destroying the current system
Mark Berelekhis
5crash the rock of a current system
Alexander Teplitsky
3He must break the rock with his hammer and destroy the system.
Vyacheslav Lomaev
3He has to break down the rock with a hammer, destroying the present system.
Vaddy Peters


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
crush the mountain with a hammer, destroying the current system


Explanation:
I'm afraid you misread the source. This is the meaning, however badly phrased.

Mark Berelekhis
United States
Local time: 21:31
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 467

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Anthony Ottey
5 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  Alexander Grabowski
28 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  crainny: this is a reference to Ivan Franko's famous poem "Каменярi" http://poetyka.uazone.net/default/pages.phtml?place=franko&p...
50 mins
  -> Did not know that! Thank you for pointing it out.
agree  lanaka
2 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Roman M
7 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  alex suhoy
14 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  cyhul
5 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
He must break the rock with his hammer and destroy the system.


Explanation:
It is HE who is destroying the system, not the cliff (rock).

Vyacheslav Lomaev
Russian Federation
Local time: 05:31
Native speaker of: Russian
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
He has to break down the rock with a hammer, destroying the present system.


Explanation:
+

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 35 mins (2013-04-22 17:49:18 GMT)
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He has to break down a rock with a hammer, destroying the present system.

Vaddy Peters
PRO pts in category: 16
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
crash the rock of a current system


Explanation:
Используя нормальный Русский язык, предложение “Он должен ломать молотом скалу, разрушая нынешнюю систему…" - должно звучать: "Он должен разломать молотом скалу нынешней системы…". То есть нынешняя система отождествляется со скалой. По моему перевод: "He got to crash the rock of a current system by the hammer..." по смыслу подойдет ближе всего.

Alexander Teplitsky
Local time: 21:31
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 16
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