Silly motto needed (Latin translation also needed)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’m trying to come up with a gift idea for my sister, and she’s really hard to buy for, because reasons. In the past, she’s enjoyed some custom things I’ve done at places like Cowcow.com, so I’m gonna do up something in photoshop for her.

Lately, we’ve been running into many issues that are never resolved the first time. Everything needs done at least twice. If it matters, it’s because of other ppl, not us. So, I’d like to come up with a silly Latin motto to reflect this. The problem is, of course, I don’t know Latin. I was gonna come up with something pithy in English and ask for a translation, but then I figured, if I’m bothering folks for the translation, I might as well tap into their creativity as well.

The best I have so far is along the lines of, “Why do something once, when you can do it (many) (several) (some silly number) times?” I was trying to come up with something along the lines of, “When others are involved, always budget at least twice the needed time.” but that sounds lame, and long.

Obviously need work, but that’s the gist. Shorter is probably better. Brevity. . . wit, and that sort of thing, but anything you come up with that captures the general idea in a clever manner would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance. I’m hoping this thread is at least a little fun, even if we can’t quite nail the motto.

2

If at first you don’t succeed, find someone else to blame.

3

I like it for what it is, but it’s not really in keeping with the theme. We’ll do things, and then find out we have to do them again because of something out of our control, and likely within the control of others. This could be a good motto for the folks letting us down. . .

Hey, maybe we can turn this into a general Latin motto thread - I’m still hoping i get some suggestions for my OP, but things like the above could be fun to have handy as well. Who doesn’t need a good sig line from time to time?

When all else fails, play dead - Quando omni flunkus moritati (pseudo-Latin, i know, but still a great motto.)

4

Think of your motto and I’ll get it translated for you. My daughter’s wife and 90% of her friends are Latin teachers. They spend all day doing stuff like this and worse.

My suggestion (already a meme of course): “If you can’t be a good example, you’ll just have to be a horrible warning.”

5

“30 minutes or less or your pizza’s free”

Amusingly nonsensical, but sort of apropos.

StG

6

“You can always go back, but you can never return.”

7

I’m good at following instructions but not reading your mind.

Or a bit shorter

I’m good with instructions but not mind reading.

8

I don’t know if this is appropriate, but

Do you want it correctly or your way?

I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.

9

Those who keep their feet firmly on the ground have trouble putting on their pants.

10

Lots of fun ones here, too many to point out. Nothing I can use for my project, but I’m liking them anyway. I think we need some wholesale translation up in here. :smiley:

11

Or my favorite of all time, Will Rogers: “stupidity got us into this mess, why can’t it get us out?”

12

More work ahead, due to circumstances beyond our control.
Save time by wasting ours.
Your inefficiency keeps us employed!
I came, I did, I had to do it again.

13

“Alone we strive. United we stumble.”
“United We Falter.”
“United We Languish.”

14

venerunt defecit viderunt eos

they came they saw they failed

15

It may be

venerunt defeci viderunt eos

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If you don’t succeed the first time, that’s what second chances are for. And third, and fourth, and fifth, you loser.

Nisi post primum secundus ad Id. Et tertius et quartus et quintus tu Victus.

(I used Google Translate for that, so feel free to correct it. Hmm, I sense some irony here. And, yes, that did include that I edited the damn thing.)

17

This sounds a lot like the old saying:

There’s never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.

18

Please consider French as an alternative to Latin. Lots of Brit old families have French mottos. Something like this:

We did what you wanted

On a fait ce que tu voulais

It even sort of rhymes (I guess, I don’t really read French). I got this from an HP translator app that came with my laptop.

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Do you want it right, or do you want it soon?
Vis iustum, et tu eam cum vis?

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Measure twice, cut once.* (Used in tailoring, carpentry etc.)

And this isn’t on the subject you are looking for - but it’s fun!

Wherever I go, there I am.*

P.S. If this could be translated into Latin, I would be jolly grateful. :cool: