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バカと天才は紙一重

English translation: It is a fine line that separates the fool from the wiseman

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Japanese term or phrase:バカと天才は紙一重
English translation:It is a fine line that separates the fool from the wiseman
Entered by: Bailatjones

07:51 Mar 23, 2006
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics
Japanese term or phrase: バカと天才は紙一重
What is the best English equivalent for this idiom?
Wei Peng Loy
Local time: 17:53
It is a fine line that separates the fool from the wiseman
Explanation:
this isn't an actual proverb I found in English but I've written the translation to read like one...hope this helps


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2006-03-23 08:25:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

this flows a bit less but...

It is only the slightest of differences that distinguishes the wiseman from the fool (or the fool from the wiseman)
Selected response from:

Bailatjones
Switzerland
Local time: 11:53
Grading comment
Hi, I like your translation. Thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +6It is a fine line that separates the fool from the wiseman
Bailatjones
5 +1Genius is only one remove from insanity.
hinata
3 +1Great wits are sure to madness near allied, / And thin partitions do their bounds divide.
mstkwasa
3 +1There is only one thin line between idiot/fool and genious.
IC --


  

Answers


31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +6
It is a fine line that separates the fool from the wiseman


Explanation:
this isn't an actual proverb I found in English but I've written the translation to read like one...hope this helps


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2006-03-23 08:25:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

this flows a bit less but...

It is only the slightest of differences that distinguishes the wiseman from the fool (or the fool from the wiseman)


Bailatjones
Switzerland
Local time: 11:53
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Hi, I like your translation. Thanks!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  IC --
10 mins
  -> Thank you icg!
agree  KathyT: I like the first one (-:
1 hr
  -> Thank you Kathy :-)
agree  Naikei Wong: Your rendition is very similar to what I had in mind... there's just one fine line between the fool and the genius... ("天才" is more like genius in Japanese? not sure) cheers
1 hr
  -> Thank you NK, yes I hesitated between genius and wiseman, but opted for 'wiseman' which I thought sounded slightly more literary
agree  Shannon Morales: The 1st one looks perfect.
4 hrs
  -> Thank you Shannon!
agree  Can Altinbay: Definitely the original. The second one is about to collapse under its own weight.
5 hrs
  -> Thank you Can, yes I don't know what was going on in my brain when I wrote that second one..:-)
agree  michiko tsum (X): I think the first one is perfect, except, like NKWong, "genius" might be better.
9 hrs
  -> Thank you Michiko-san!
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Great wits are sure to madness near allied, / And thin partitions do their bounds divide.


Explanation:
John Dryden; Absalom and Achitophel (1681) pt.1, 1. 150

A bit long and old but nevertheless one way of conveying the meaning.

mstkwasa
Local time: 10:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  IC --: Bravo!! and...it rhymes...
13 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
There is only one thin line between idiot/fool and genious.


Explanation:
another option

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2006-03-23 10:59:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or

There is only a line as thin as paper between fool qnd genious.

( Less neat for a proverb, but it covers the paper part...)

IC --
Local time: 11:53
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Naikei Wong: I'm for "genius" because wisdom is more like an age-correlated thing... whereas genius is something more like inborn
1 hr
  -> Merci!!
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16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Genius is only one remove from insanity.


Explanation:
Quoted from:http://homepage1.nifty.com/yoshi_2000/REMARK.HTM
The above site is so interesting that I want to introduce it to many people.


hinata
Japan
Local time: 18:53
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  KathyT: Nice site! I like the above but "remove" sounds a bit unnatural. I'd replace "one remove" with "one step away"... (-:
4 hrs
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