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Donde hubo fuego, cenizas quedan

English translation: The flames are gone but the ashes remain

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:donde hubo fuego, cenizas quedan
English translation:The flames are gone but the ashes remain
Entered by: Charles Davis

09:40 Jul 4, 2013
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Tourism & Travel
Spanish term or phrase: Donde hubo fuego, cenizas quedan
I am looking for a neat, idiomatic way to say this in English (UK). It occurs in a travel guide talking about the Great Fire of Chicago.

Dicen que donde hubo fuego, cenizas quedan. En Chicago ya no quedan rescoldos de aquel trágico incendio que arrasó gran parte de la ciudad la noche del 8 de octubre de 1871, pero sí quedan dos edificaciones que recuerdan esta época.

I know that this phrase has already been discussed here but the answers given 'Where there's smoke, ther's fire' and 'Old flames die hard' would not work in this context. TIA
Jane Martin
Local time: 04:43
The flames are gone but the ashes remain
Explanation:
I do think "old flames die hard" could be used here, and it is the equivalent expression. The passage is playing humorously on the literal and metaphorical meanings, I think. However, another approach which might work better in this context is this, or some variant of it.

As the saying goes, the flames are gone but the ashes remain.

I'd use "flame" to make more of a gesture to the play on the meaning of lost love. "The ashes remain" is used in this sense:

"Love is a forever-lit fire, It can be put out by watery tears, But the ashes remain, I fear."
http://www.poemhunter.com/best-poems/venny-hayde/the-crunch-... (not a great poem, I admit)

“You can try to hide the past but it will run you dry, where truth and lies hurt just the same, and every broken heart fuels a raging fire, been burnin’ bridges down but the ashes remain.”
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/157228-steep-canyon-rang...

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Note added at 16 mins (2013-07-04 09:57:49 GMT)
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It has got to sound like a saying, because of "Dicen que".
Selected response from:

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 05:43
Grading comment
Thank you. Very helpful.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +7The flames are gone but the ashes remain
Charles Davis
4 +1old flames die hard
Simon Bruni
4The ashes have long outlived the flames
638556 (X)
4the fire has died out (or: has been quenched), but the ashes still remain
Ellen Kraus
3Although destroyed by fire, the ghosts/spirit remain/s
Isamar


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
old flames die hard


Explanation:
Here is in fact a way of using 'old flames die hard':

They say that old flames die hard. In Chicago the flames of that tragic fire that swept through much of the city on 8 October 1871 have died, but...

Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:43
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 104
Notes to answerer
Asker: I always thought this saying meant it is hard to forget old loves?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ana Brause
4 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Although destroyed by fire, the ghosts/spirit remain/s


Explanation:
In case you decide not to use something idiomatic this may work.

Isamar
Local time: 05:43
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 9
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
The flames are gone but the ashes remain


Explanation:
I do think "old flames die hard" could be used here, and it is the equivalent expression. The passage is playing humorously on the literal and metaphorical meanings, I think. However, another approach which might work better in this context is this, or some variant of it.

As the saying goes, the flames are gone but the ashes remain.

I'd use "flame" to make more of a gesture to the play on the meaning of lost love. "The ashes remain" is used in this sense:

"Love is a forever-lit fire, It can be put out by watery tears, But the ashes remain, I fear."
http://www.poemhunter.com/best-poems/venny-hayde/the-crunch-... (not a great poem, I admit)

“You can try to hide the past but it will run you dry, where truth and lies hurt just the same, and every broken heart fuels a raging fire, been burnin’ bridges down but the ashes remain.”
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/157228-steep-canyon-rang...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 mins (2013-07-04 09:57:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It has got to sound like a saying, because of "Dicen que".

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 05:43
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 119
Grading comment
Thank you. Very helpful.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  neilmac
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Neil :)
agree  Billh
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Bill :) (Don't know if you care for smiley faces, but if not you'll just have to put up with it.)
agree  Ronaldo Bassini
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Ronaldo :)
agree  James A. Walsh
4 hrs
  -> Thanks, James ;)
agree  Richard Hill
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Rich ;)
agree  Maya Conlon-Kremer
6 hrs
  -> Thanks, Maya :)
agree  Marina Ilari
5 days
  -> Thank you, Marina :)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
The ashes have long outlived the flames


Explanation:
Same idea of a long lost love...

638556 (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:43
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the fire has died out (or: has been quenched), but the ashes still remain


Explanation:
just one more option

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Note added at 3 Stunden (2013-07-04 13:00:06 GMT)
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or : the Passion has died down, but ....
refranes.celeberrima.com/.../significado-refran-de-a...‎
Donde hubo fuego cenizas quedan. Señala que siempre quedan huellas de los amores apasionados

Ellen Kraus
Austria
Local time: 05:43
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
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