Randahl FinkJul 18

Yesterday was my first bad day on Mastodon, and what happened to me could happen to you, so let me explain what went down, and how I got blocked by a lot of people.

In March, I wrote a post critical of Musk (picture 1). I then asked another Mastodon user (Harriett) whom I have found friendly, if she would help me translate a Danish phrase to English, and linked to the Musk post where the phrase would be relevant.

But yesterday — 4 months later — that blew up in my face. Here is how…

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Show threadKierkegaanks regretfullyJul 18
@randahl (tangentially, pride goes before the fall is from the bible)
Show threadsaddest cabbage
@Kierkegaanks @randahl
Maybe thats in the bible - I am not sure, but the correct "secular" quote is "Pride goeth before destruction, the haughty spirit before the fall".
Just checked and yes it is from the bible in Proverbs 16 v18
Jul 18 at 8:35amWeb
Show threadKierkegaanks regretfullyJul 18
@sadcabbage @randahl there are so many translations that unless you quote the oldest available version in what is probably hebrew or greek, this nuance is moot
Show threadShriram KrishnamurthiJul 18
@Kierkegaanks @sadcabbage @randahl As the old joke (with many, many variations) goes, "If English was good enough for the apostles, it's good enough for me". The especially good variation (that drives home this issue) is "If the King James Version was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good enough for me".
Show threadJyrgen NJul 18
@shriramk @Kierkegaanks @sadcabbage @randahl It is old, but I will never stop feeling that ugly but oh so satisfying little bit of condescension about the people thinking English was indeed good enough for the apostles / Jesus / the Lord.
Show threadMartijn VosJul 18

@sadcabbage @Kierkegaanks @randahl

Interesting that it says "haughty spirit". The Dutch version (NBG) says

Hovaardij gaat vooraf aan het verderf,
en hoogmoed komt voor de val.


The famous part of that quote is the second half: "Hoogmoed komt voor de val", which in English would be "Hubris comes before the fall". "Haughty spirit" doesn't pack quite te same punch.

Show threadMartijn VosJul 18

@randahl @Kierkegaanks @sadcabbage

Checking this in Danish, I get

Hovmod gaar forud for Fald, Overmod forud for Snublen.


I don't know Danish, but assuming "Snublen" means "fall", this sounds to me like the Dutch "overmoed komt voor de val", which in English would be "overconfidence comes before the fall".