Hello,

I would like to kindly request your help in translating a phrase that is extremely special to me, so need to get it right

The phrase is:

"my heart belongs to angels, but my passion dances with the demons"

Thank you in advance,

Monica

Welcome to the forum Monica!

"Is leis na haingil mo chroí, ach damhsaíonn mo phaisean leis na deamhain"

Wait for some more input from others.

_________________

Please wait for corrections/ more input from other forum members before acting on advice

Thank you very very much for your reply! and yes, I will be patient and wait

_________________

Please wait for corrections/ more input from other forum members before acting on advice

Looks perfect! What do you think about a continuous tense?

Is leis na haingil mo chroí, ach ag damhsa leis na deamhain a bhíonn mo phaisean.

The translations given refer to 'the angels'. This may or may not make a difference to the O.P.

I like this better because of the parallelism. The point is to contrast one's heart with one's passion, so it's nice to have the words "chroí" and "phaisean" in the same position in each clause. And in AnBraonach's translation, those two words are the last words in their respective clauses.

But I wonder what the sentence is supposed to mean: you're contrasting your heart with your passion, but usually the heart is considered the seat of passion. So what is the difference between the two that you're trying to express?

_________________

Oops! Grma, Scoob. Monica, change if you want 'angels' rather than 'the angels'!

Is le haingil mo chroí ach ag damhsa leis na deamhain a bhíonn mo phaisean

Thank you very much for your input. I've been thinking about the same thing. The phrase went through several stages. I am opposing kindness, things done from the heart (atypically, in this case, I am putting the heart on same level as mind/reason, they are one), to an inner force lacking corporeal existence (ie passion), a rush that rarely surfaces, like lava floating in the depths waiting to come out. I am treating the feelings that come from the heart as a given, but stressing the hidden torment, emphasizing the demonic part, that je ne sais quoi resisting definition... At phrase level, "I" am fully aware of the details of "my" relationship with the angels, they need no specific identity, they are like the air "I" breathe, but "I" am focusing on the "exotic" of the demons, trying to understand their insane movement. I hope I am making sense

I was thinking of a different parallelism:

Is le haingil mo chroí, ach is leis na deamhain a bhíonn mo phaisean ag damhsa.
My heart belongs to angels, but it is with the demons that my passion dances."

You might also like to consider púcaí which are more like "imps" than "demons":

Is le haingil mo chroí, ach is leis na púcaí a bhíonn mo phaisean ag damhsa.
My heart belongs to angels, but it is with the imps that my passion dances."

Await further input ...

_________________
Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).