menu
Tatoeba
language
Register Log in
language English
menu
Tatoeba

chevron_right Register

chevron_right Log in

Browse

chevron_right Show random sentence

chevron_right Browse by language

chevron_right Browse by list

chevron_right Browse by tag

chevron_right Browse audio

Community

chevron_right Wall

chevron_right List of all members

chevron_right Languages of members

chevron_right Native speakers

search
clear
swap_horiz
search

Sentence #746260

info_outline Metadata
warning
Your sentence was not added because the following already exists.
Sentence #{{vm.sentence.id}} — belongs to {{vm.sentence.user.username}} Sentence #{{vm.sentence.id}}
{{vm.sentence.furigana.info_message}} {{vm.sentence.text}}
star This sentence belongs to a native speaker.
warning This sentence is not reliable.
content_copy Copy sentence info Go to sentence page
subdirectory_arrow_right
warning
{{transcription.info_message}}
Translations
Unlink this translation link Make into direct translation chevron_right
{{translation.furigana.info_message}} {{translation.text}} Existing sentence #{{::translation.id}} has been added as a translation.
edit Edit this translation
warning This sentence is not reliable.
content_copy Copy sentence info Go to sentence page
subdirectory_arrow_right
warning
{{transcription.info_message}}
Translations of translations
Unlink this translation link Make into direct translation chevron_right
{{translation.furigana.info_message}} {{translation.text}} Existing sentence #{{::translation.id}} has been added as a translation.
edit Edit this translation
warning This sentence is not reliable.
content_copy Copy sentence info Go to sentence page
subdirectory_arrow_right
warning
{{transcription.info_message}}
{{vm.expandableIcon}} {{vm.sentence.expandLabel}} Fewer translations

Comments

Jio15 Jio15 June 28, 2013 June 28, 2013 at 5:20:11 PM UTC link Permalink

What the expression "Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais" means is that : a good (=bien) that's been obtained (=acquis) in an unfair way (=mal) never (=ne...jamais) profits (=profite).

"One should not profit from the sale of stolen goods" would be "Il ne faut pas profiter de la vente de biens volés" whereas "It's unfair to profit from selling items that have been stolen" would be "Il est mal de profiter de la vente d'objets qui ont été volés". It's in the other way, in fact.

The object that is unfairly obtained never profits. I am sure of the meaning but not of the english syntax.

Jio15 Jio15 June 28, 2013 June 28, 2013 at 5:22:26 PM UTC link Permalink

Oww.. I understand what you find strange, it's the fact that the object "profits" !

In French, we can say that ; and that means that the object brings "more" to its owner.

If I say "Mes cours d'anglais m'ont profité", that means that my english lessons have brought more (english knowledge) to me.

I don't know how to express it naturally in english.

sharptoothed sharptoothed June 28, 2013 June 28, 2013 at 5:36:43 PM UTC link Permalink

2Jio15
I wonder if you're trying to say something like "Ill-gotten goods never prosper".

Jio15 Jio15 June 29, 2013 June 29, 2013 at 5:45:06 PM UTC link Permalink

The traduction of sharptoothed means exactly what it means in French ! I'll correct with "ill-gotten gains never benefit anyone".

Metadata

close

Sentence text

License: CC BY 2.0 FR

Logs

This sentence was initially added as a translation of sentence #649214Neleĝe akirita ne estas profita..

Stolen good isn't profitable.

added by Jio15, February 7, 2011

linked by Jio15, February 7, 2011

linked by al_ex_an_der, September 22, 2012

linked by al_ex_an_der, September 22, 2012

A good that's been unfairly obtained cannot profit.

edited by Jio15, June 28, 2013

Ill-gotten gains never benefit anyone.

edited by Jio15, June 29, 2013