mieć aby lepiej być

English translation: to have to improve your being

17:06 Jun 28, 2014
Polish to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Psychology
Polish term or phrase: mieć aby lepiej być
It's obviously an adaptation of the famous quote "to have or to be?" so I want to follow the original's form. It's an article's title. Should it be "to have to better be" or rather "to have to be better"? Other suggestions are also welcome :-) Thank you!
Malgorzata Zawilinska-Janas
Local time: 08:39
English translation:to have to improve your being
Explanation:
most likely

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Note added at 52 mins (2014-06-28 17:58:59 GMT)
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or to better your being
Selected response from:

LilianNekipelov
United States
Local time: 02:39
Grading comment
eventually I opted for "to have to better your being" as it seemed to best capture the original meaning. thank you!
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4to have to improve your being
LilianNekipelov
4to possess to be better
Jerzy CertTrans
3 +1to have to live fully/to fully live//to better yourself/to realize self
Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
4to have to be happy/to feel better
Piotr Hink
2to have to be whole
Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to have to improve your being


Explanation:
most likely

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 52 mins (2014-06-28 17:58:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or to better your being

LilianNekipelov
United States
Local time: 02:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PolishPolish
PRO pts in category: 7
Grading comment
eventually I opted for "to have to better your being" as it seemed to best capture the original meaning. thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Jerzy CertTrans: might sound like:musisz ulepszyc....
2 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to possess to be better


Explanation:
suggestion

Example sentence(s):
  • Nothing I possess makes me happy.
Jerzy CertTrans
United States
Local time: 01:39
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in PolishPolish
PRO pts in category: 4
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to have to live fully/to fully live//to better yourself/to realize self


Explanation:
Based on the research below and the wider context: quality of life, self-satisfaction, fulfillmenty



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Mieć czy być?
Mieć czy być? – esej filozoficzny autorstwa Ericha Fromma napisany w 1976 roku. Wraz z książką „O sztuce miłości” z 1956 r. zalicza się on do najbardziej znanych dzieł tego autora. Wikipedia

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To Have or to Be? is a 1976 book by social psychologist Erich Fromm that differentiates between having and being.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Have_or_to_Be?

Example sentence(s):
  • Leo Buscaglia - NOW is the Time to Fully Live

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rsaATctYAE
Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
United States
Local time: 02:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PolishPolish
PRO pts in category: 106
Notes to answerer
Asker: I really like your ideas but I'm still racking my brain trying to come up with something that would use both verbs from the original quote (have & be, in whatever form) so that the reference is obvious to the reader...


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kamila Sławińska
2 hrs
  -> Thank you, Kamila, for sharing your opinion.
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18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
to have to be whole


Explanation:
"To be whole" may mean different things to different people. One can be whole in body, mind and soul or in mind and spirit. These also have, of course, religious connotations.
One can also be a whole person.
All of these hark to self-realization and fulfillment.
So, everybody can take out whatever they wish from this formulation.


Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
United States
Local time: 02:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PolishPolish
PRO pts in category: 106
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1 day 8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to have to be happy/to feel better


Explanation:
"be happy" and "feel better" is connected with self-esteem and life satisfaction.

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Note added at 1 day8 hrs (2014-06-30 01:39:47 GMT)
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or better "to have to be happier"

Piotr Hink
Local time: 08:39
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in PolishPolish
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