Hi There,

I am looking for a Gaelic translation that i can use for a personal tattoo. I have irish ancestry and would like to get something that embraces that while still reflecting the struggle that exists within us all. I have been advised that i should stay away form the automatic translators that exist online as they can not be trusted to be accurate. I do not want to have something on my body that is a reflection of who i am as a person and my heritage that makes no sense. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. the text that i would like to get translated is

Do not mistake my kindness for weakness. The beast is merely sleeping, Not Dead.

Ná ceap gur laige í mo chuid chneastachta. Ní marbh é an t-alltán, ach ina chodladh.

Just something to get you started. I think it can work, but the phrasing is a tad awkward (in an attempt to retain as much meaning as possible).

For other translators: I think the first half is OK. I wasn't sure as to using "cuid" for an emotion like kindness, but I found a reference for "mo chuid sonais" online, so i stuck with it.

The second half was pretty tricky, anyone else have any ideas to make it neater?

Anyone got some more input/corrections?

Thanks!

Maybe just add a pronoun?
Ní marbh é an t-alltán, ach ina chodladh

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I'm not a native (or entirely fluent) speaker, so be sure to wait for confirmations/corrections, especially for tattoos.

Well the pronoun isn't mandatory. According to all the dictionaries 'cneastacht' = 'honesty, sincerity', and 'cineáltas' is the usual translation of 'kindness'.
That construction 'Ní marbh (é) X' can't be extended to 'ina chodladh', nor do I think it would be used with an adjective like 'marbh' anyway. It would have to be:
'Ní marbh atá an t-alltán ach ina chodladh', or 'Níl an t-alltán marbh; níl sé ach ina chodladh'.

I think there might be an identification v classification issue with the first part?

(The Irish version of The Bible's 'Apocalypse' has 'an beithíoch' for 'the beast'- but this may not be relevant at all).

I thought there was something funny with my usage of "ach ina chodladh" after the first part. GRMA. You're right about the cneasta vs cineáltas thing of course, just a slip up on my part. Cneasta can means good but in the sense of decent, honest, upstanding, moral etc.

Your second suggestion is probably the safer one IMO.

thank you to those who have made submissions so far, i really do appreciate it. If it makes things any easier there is a variation that i have seen that i think makes it a little more relevant to me.

DO NOT MISTAKE MY KINDNESS FOR WEAKNESS, THE BEAST WITHIN IS MERELY SLEEPING. NOT DEAD.

not sure if this is going to make it harder or easier for you.

Once again thank you for all of the help.

Sorry - should have been

DO NOT MISTAKE MY KINDNESS FOR WEAKNESS, THE BEAST WITHIN IS SLEEPING. NOT DEAD.

Ná ceap gur laige í mo chineáltas. Níl an beithíoch ionaim ach ina chodladh, níl sé marbh.


Again wait for confirmation, as you changed the meaning. There is always more than one way to say something correctly.