Regret for wasted time is more time wasted

[wnadai]

Hey everyone,

I have been looking to translate the phrase, "Regret for wasted time is more time wasted". Initially I tried using online translators, but I quickly realized that was of no help at all. On reddit I was told,
"Temproī vāstō dolēre est tempus plūs vāstāre" and "Paenitentia pro tempore vastato est tempus plus vastatum". I have no idea if either of these are accurate or, which one would be better so I figured here would be a great place to confirm or receive a more accurate translation. Any help here is greatly appreciated as the translation is for a tattoo so I need to be 100% confident before I put something permanently on my body lol.

 

[Dantius]

Perhaps the most classical would be "Quem paenitet trivisse tempus plus temporis terit" ("He who regrets having wasted time wastes more time") — I've also tried to replicate the "wasted time...time wasted" order with trivisse tempus...plus temporis terit. One could more concisely say "Paenitere temporis triti est plus temporis terere" ("to regret wasted time is to waste more time"). Your first sentence could work if you changed it to "tempore vastato dolere..." but I'm not sure if vastare is a good word choice compared to terere. The second sentence is grammatically fine but not a particularly natural way of expressing it. I suspect a Roman would most naturally have expressed the sentiment with slightly more words, but for a tattoo it is helpful to be concise.

 

[Pacifica]

My verb choice would have been perdo.

I think the version with the relative clause works best:

Quem paenitet perdidisse tempus plus temporis perdit.

An alternative might be:

Qui perditum tempus deflet plus temporis perdit.

 

[Dantius]

Quem paenitet perdisse tempus plus temporis perdit.

perdidisse? But I agree, that's a better verb choice.

 

[Pacifica]

perdidisse?

Of course. Fixed.

 

[wnadai]

I think i will go with Quem paenitet perdidisse tempus plus temporis perdit. Chat GPT seems to think Its the best translation as well lol. Thanks for the help!

 

[Dantius]

Chat GPT seems to think Its the best translation as well lol.

This means almost nothing, but I think that's a good translation to go with.

 

[Laurentius]

ChatGPT is some sort of jack of all trades, it can talk about most things and disciplines but it has a high chance of making mistakes in all of them, as it's been proven time and time again.

 

[cinefactus]

Chat GPT seems to think Its the best translation as well lol.

You would be better off asking a child from the local kindergarten.

 

[syntaxianus]

I am late to the party, but I would consider

dolere tempus perditum est perdere temporis plus

to grieve time lost is to lose more time