a very close friend of mine was killed in the war in iraq 2 years ago and am looking to honor his sacrafice. He was very Irish and proud of his Irish heritage, so I'm wanting to translate this quote...any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

"If you want to be given everything, give everything up"


Thanks guys! I appreciate it!

so sorry, i should have included in the topic that this is a TAT! Brand new to the forum and still learning this ins and outs!

Hi, welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about your friend.

(I've fixed the title to make it distinctive.)


Your request has a play on words around "give" and "give up", which might not translate directly, but we can have a go at a parallel idea:

Má tá gach ní uait, caith gach ní uait. "If you want everything, cast everything from you."


This makes use of two meanings of uait "from you" in a similar fashion.

Await further input ...

_________________
Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).