Translation for a tattoo

[kirsty1922]

Hi,
I was hoping someone would be able to help me with a translation. Im looking to get a tattoo that says 'death is a debt i must repay' but in spanish. I have tried translating this and was hoping someone could confirm if i have done it right or if not help me translate the sentence correctly.

i have translated the above phrase into spanish as:-

La muerte es una deuda que debo saldar

is this correct??

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by kirsty1922

Im looking to get a tattoo that says 'death is a debt i must repay' but in spanish.

La muerte es una deuda que debo pagar.

Just one thing needs changed.

Welcome to the forums, by the way.

[kirsty1922]

thanks for the response, nice to know my spanish isnt as bad as i thought...... could you use saldar if you were to say it was a debt i must settle rather than pay??

[Rusty]

You may, yes. Both terms are used. I think pagar would be the more frequently used of the two, though.

pagar = pay and repay

[conejodescarado]

Just out of curiosity, what does the expression actually mean in English?

Ah, I think I get it as meaning it's something you can't avoid. My first thoughts were, "huh, murder?" :P

[sosia]

"La muerte es una deuda que debo saldar" is OK. I would choose this option.
"La muerte es una deuda que debo pagar" is also OK, with more used words, but sounds less poetic....
literally:
"La muerte es una deuda que debo saldar" ('death is a debt i must settle/repay/pay up)
"La muerte es una deuda que debo pagar" ('death is a debt i must pay)

For a common usage Rusty's option "pagar" is much better ("saldar " is less used today, only for debts/mortgage) but for a tatto is more powerful "saldar"

saludos