I'm doing a little translating today, and..

MoSiAc

I could use some help. I don't need any help moving it from one language to another, just really trying to get a good feeling from the words I need to use.

Basically a fairly direct translation reads:

There is only one you, and you only have one life to live. Don't have any regrets and grow up to live a very special life.

There is something about this that doesn't really sound good to me, and I've read it at least twenty times today, so I was wondering if anyone could think of some ways to not change the content much but make it sound better.

Thanks

EDIT: Think I've got it:

Your life is your own, and you only live once. Don't fill your life with regret, but make it something very special. I want and hope all of you live the best lives you can.

Zyid

How about something concise, like:

There will never be another you, and you'll never have another chance at life. Regret nothing - make it special.

MoSiAc

I really wanted to cut it down a lot, but the guy I'm translating for likes to be long winded (hes a principal) so I think I might have made it more wordy because of that.

But thanks for the feedback.

Dalboz

I think I know what you're getting at and the part that might be the sticking point. For me, it's just the word "special" when I think what you need is something that combines "special" and "unique." Your edited version seems to get much closer. "Exceptional," maybe?

Just my two cents. Feel free to give change back.

MoSiAc

Dalboz wrote: »

I think I know what you're getting at and the part that might be the sticking point. For me, it's just the word "special" when I think what you need is something that combines "special" and "unique." Your edited version seems to get much closer. "Exceptional," maybe?

Just my two cents. Feel free to give change back.

Exceptional is a really good word to use there, but I had to focus more on language that junior high Japanese students would know. But I know what you mean special really didn't fit right to me either.

Scalfin

Your life is your own, and you only live once, so don't fill it with regret;(correct punctuation?) make it something special. I want and hope all of you live as best you can.