Eat to Live, Don't Live to Eat.

[WasabiXi]

I am working one some lettering for a tattoo and want to make sure my grammar is correct as I unfortunately don't speak Castilian Spanish. The Phrase is "Eat to Live, Don't Live to Eat." Now I have it translated which comes out to "Comer para vivir, no vivas para comer." But as this is for a tattoo I would much rather have proper grammar then not.

Any and all help in this is greatly appreciated and thank you all for taking the time to read this post.

[Rusty]

In proper English, there are actually two sentences, both containing a verb in the command form.
Translating directly, they become:
Come para vivir. No vivas para comer.

You can find this wise saying already translated several different ways.
Several have dropped the idea of proper punctuation.

Come para vivir y no vivas para comer
(This version is very close to the literal translation I gave, adding the conjunction 'y')

Comer para vivir
No vivir para comer
(This version uses only infinitives - rendering the translation closer to "Eating to live - Not living to eat.")

Hay que comer para vivir y no vivir para comer
(One must eat to live and not live to eat.)



I like this version the best:
Hay que comer para vivir, no vivir para comer.
(One must eat to live, not live to eat.)

[WasabiXi]

Thank you so very much Rusty for all the examples given it really helps a lot. I like the second and forth examples the best.

Comer para vivir
No vivir para comer

and

Hay que comer para vivir,
no vivir para comer.

Either will fit nicely in the tattoo. Once again, thank you very much for your help.

[Ivy2937]

Originally Posted by Rusty

In proper English, there are actually two sentences, both containing a verb in the command form.
Translating directly, they become:
Come para vivir. No vivas para comer.

You can find this wise saying already translated several different ways.
Several have dropped the idea of proper punctuation.

Come para vivir y no vivas para comer
(This version is very close to the literal translation I gave, adding the conjunction 'y')

Comer para vivir
No vivir para comer
(This version uses only infinitives - rendering the translation closer to "Eating to live - Not living to eat.")

Hay que comer para vivir y no vivir para comer
(One must eat to live and not live to eat.)

I like this version the best:
Hay que comer para vivir, no vivir para comer.
(One must eat to live, not live to eat.)

WE have in Colombia a saying :
Si comes para vivir no te mates comiendo.