I was asked to translate some sayings "into Elvish" (no language specified, alas) so I've giving the translations in both Sindarin and Quenya. I'm pretty confident on the Sindarin, but less so on the Quenya. Can you check the translations and tell me if/where I go wrong?
I'm going for an archaic feeling in these translations, because they're supposed to be sayings.
Speak using truth. Queta thanyanen.
Do that which you swear to do. Á care ita westal care.
Don't allow insults to affect you. Áva lave yaiwin lyé-ape.
Don't believe without long reflection. Áva save pen anda sanie.
Do the best of your deeds. ("Do your best" - I'm really iffy on this one) Á care i arya cardalyaron.
ܤܡܝ ܦܠܕܢܝܘܤ Sep 11, 2014 (10:19)
"Insults" in dative might work, also since Finnish would put the word in the genitive-accusative case (which it also uses for the nonexistent dative in e.g. minun on mentävä/ † meneminen = mihi est eundum). (Using a line between the object pronoun and the verb is characteristic of The Lost Road period & contrasted by later nai Eru lye mánata, for example.)
Tamas Ferencz Sep 11, 2014 (14:28)
Fiona Jallings Sep 11, 2014 (19:17)
And using a dash, not using a dash... there's no difference in the pronunciation or in the syntax, so I don't see how it could matter.
Björn Fromén Sep 12, 2014 (00:01)
Queta tai naite [ná]. ('Speak what is true')
Á care tai vandalyar canir. ('Do what your oaths command')
Áva save ú anda saniéno.
Fiona Jallings Sep 12, 2014 (00:05)
Björn Fromén Sep 12, 2014 (13:24)
saniéno genitive of sanie, modelled on máriéno from márie (PE 17:59).