Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
Do not spit in the wind
Latin translation:
noli in ventum spuere
- The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2010-05-29 18:54:09 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)
May 26, 2010 16:29
14 yrs ago
English term
Not a translator
Do not spit in the wind
English to Latin
Art/Literary
Music
Translation of verse from Jim Croce song that states you "don't spit in the wind" or "pull on Superman's caape."
Proposed translations
(Latin)
| 4 +2 | noli in ventum spuere |
Ivo Volt
|
| 4 | Nolite contra ventum sputare |
Michael McCann
|
Proposed translations
+2
20 mins
Selected
noli in ventum spuere
This is a variation of the translation offered by InfoMarex: it uses spuere instead of sputare (which is a frequentative of spuere), and it's in the second person singular rather than plural (as the old English thou, that is). In addition, I have translated literally "in the wind", as "contra ventum" would be "against the wind". I don't think either of these has ancient authority, though.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
8 mins
Michael McCann
Ireland
Ireland
Native in English
Ireland
A professional translation every time
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, Italian to English, French to English, and 3 more.
Nolite contra ventum sputare
The above is a direct translation. However, such would not be used by Romans who would have said something similar to "Nolite deis molestiam adferre" - Do not do something stupid like annoying the Gods!
As for "Superman's cape", unfortunately the concept did not exist in the time when Latin was spoken.
As for "Superman's cape", unfortunately the concept did not exist in the time when Latin was spoken.
Discussion