Expert: Maria - 8/25/2006

Question
I would like to know how to translate an irish proverb to latin for my sisters headstone...  it reads as follows;  While the wicked stands confounded call me, with thy saints surrounded... i would really appreciate this and so would the rest of my family... yours truly, Jason Medsker

Answer
Hello,

“While the wicked stand confounded, call me with thy saints surrounded” is not  an Irish proverb, but  part of a strophe of a Latin religious hymn by Thomas de Celano (Tommaso da Celano, in Italian), 13th century, titled "Day of Wrath, O Day of Mourning" in the English translation (Latin, "Dies irae" ).
It’s very probable that these words became an Irish proverb too.

In Latin text “While the wicked stand confounded, call me with thy saints surrounded” reads as follows:

“Confutatis maledictis, voca me cum benedictis”.

Please note that:

-While....stand confounded = CONFUTATIS (ablative absolute)

-the wicked = MALEDICTIS (ablative absolute)

-call= VOCA

-me =ME

-with = CUM

-thy saints surrounded = BENEDICTIS (ablative as CUM takes the ablative)

Best regards,
Maria