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Il diavolo fa le pentole ma non i coperchi

English translation: The truth will out

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:Il diavolo fa le pentole ma non i coperchi
English translation:The truth will out
Entered by: Beatrice Martinelli

18:14 Dec 11, 2014
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Italian term or phrase: Il diavolo fa le pentole ma non i coperchi
I have a list of sayings to translate, anyone knows whether there is an English equivalent of this one? It means that if you do something maliciously you will be found out.

Thank you in advance!
Beatrice Martinelli
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:08
The truth will out
Explanation:
Aphorisms are some of the most difficult phrases to translate. That`s why I love them so much. My favorite (sexist) is "non puoi avere la botta piena e la moglie ubriaca" for "you can`t have your cake and eat it too".

This one made me think, and the above is what I came up with. I thought of it when I read the definition of the aphorism in Italian on this site http://smilingeggplant.blogspot.ca/2010/05/italian-proverbs-...

"It means that when one decides to do something dishonest or evil (like the devil), plans are made, lies are told, people and facts are manipulated. But something always happens to foil the plan. The truth comes out, or the wrongdoer is punished, or the plans fail. It is similar to the saying according to which there is no perfect crime."

What do you think? It's a very well known phrase in English. I think it's from Shakespeare. HTH!
Selected response from:

Katherine Zei
Canada
Local time: 14:08
Grading comment
Thank you, I have used this solution.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3The devil makes the pots, but not the lids
philgoddard
5Hope for the best, but be ready for the worst
Massimo MARINI
4The truth will out
Katherine Zei
4Your sins will always find you out
James (Jim) Davis
2ill-gotten goods never prosper
Elena Zanetti
3 -1the devil is in the details
Pompeo Lattanzi


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
ill-gotten goods never prosper


Explanation:
,

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 min (2014-12-11 18:28:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The devil can make a pot but he can't make a lid.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 min (2014-12-11 18:29:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.special-dictionary.com/proverbs/keywords/devil/47...

Elena Zanetti
Italy
Local time: 21:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: Italian
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
The devil makes the pots, but not the lids


Explanation:
Again, you haven't said what you're translating these for, or exactly what the client has requested, but my inclination would be to do a literal translation, with an explanation in brackets.

The sense is "the devil teaches us evil things, but not how to hide them".

There are a couple of approximate English equivalents, but they're not nearly so colourful: "Truth will out," or "Your sins will find you out".

philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lara Barnett
1 hr
agree  Shabelula: keep it literal, however the meaning is not "teaches us evil things but not how to hide them", in fact the meaning is that the poor thing is limited in doing his tricks, because good things are always finished 100%
18 hrs
agree  EleoE
2 days 3 hrs
neutral  Katherine Zei: I totally wouldn't keep it literal. I would put "disagree" but I don't want to be rude. Why translate literally when a proper translation is possible?
2 days 19 hrs
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21 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
the devil is in the details


Explanation:
I would put it this way

Pompeo Lattanzi
Italy
Local time: 21:08
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 14

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Katherine Zei: Non c'entra, sorry.
1 day 22 hrs
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2 days 19 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
The truth will out


Explanation:
Aphorisms are some of the most difficult phrases to translate. That`s why I love them so much. My favorite (sexist) is "non puoi avere la botta piena e la moglie ubriaca" for "you can`t have your cake and eat it too".

This one made me think, and the above is what I came up with. I thought of it when I read the definition of the aphorism in Italian on this site http://smilingeggplant.blogspot.ca/2010/05/italian-proverbs-...

"It means that when one decides to do something dishonest or evil (like the devil), plans are made, lies are told, people and facts are manipulated. But something always happens to foil the plan. The truth comes out, or the wrongdoer is punished, or the plans fail. It is similar to the saying according to which there is no perfect crime."

What do you think? It's a very well known phrase in English. I think it's from Shakespeare. HTH!

Katherine Zei
Canada
Local time: 14:08
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you, I have used this solution.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  philgoddard: I've already said this.
5 days
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3 days 1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Your sins will always find you out


Explanation:
Another idea. It is probably in the Bible somewhere.

James (Jim) Davis
Seychelles
Local time: 23:08
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 30
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3070 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Hope for the best, but be ready for the worst


Explanation:
The meaning of this Italian adage, is that the Devil's feat is never complete thus, something could always go wrong

Example sentence(s):
  • I went to buy that car, but as the engine broke down the devil had made the pot but not the lid
Massimo MARINI
United States
Local time: 13:08
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
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