Hi there!
This week we have another two: a saying, and an expression. The saying concerns beauty, and the expression discipline and endurance – which you need to achieve beauty, right? Let’s go, first the saying!
Wer schön sein will, muss leiden
Who wants to be beautiful, has to suffer (beauty knows no pain)
The origin of this very well-known saying is not entirely clear. Sources go back to more than 150 years ago, when the focus was especially on female appearance. If a woman wanted to look beautiful, she would probably have to suffer. Of course, this is still a meaning of the saying we know today as well, but its scope has definitely widened.
Use
Nowadays we use wer schön sein will, muss leiden in many ways – though the focus remains on (male and female!) physical beauty. Let’s see that in an example:
Für den Ball will Lena sich die Haare färben. Dazu wird sie ein paar Stunden beim Frisör sitzen müssen – tja, wer schön sein will, muss leiden!
For the ball, Lena wants to dye her hair. Then she will have to sit at the hairdresser for some hours – well, beauty knows no pain!
Am Ball bleiben
to stick to the ball (to keep trying)
This expression comes from Fußball (soccer). It refers to having more Ballbesitz (ball possession) than the other team. To “stick to the ball” then means that you should keep the ball within the own team, and keep up the good balance of Ballbesitz. Because then, the chance of winning is higher as more shots on the goal are likely.
Use
Am Ball bleiben is used when you keep on trying to achieve something. That can literally be anything. In the connection with the saying above, one can keep on trying to be beautiful, and suffer more.
Lena hat schon fünf mal ihre Haare gefärbt. Sie ist immer noch nicht zufrieden. Aber wenn sie am Ball bleibt, wird sie bestimmt die Farbe finden, die ihr gefällt!
Lena has already colored her hair five times. She is still not satisfied. But if she keeps on trying, she will certainly find the color that she likes!
How do these translate in your language? And do you use these a lot? Do the meanings differ?
Comments:
Chrystal:
My parents used “stick to the ball” quite often when I was little. Therefore, I’ve used it from time to time. Sometimes, it is more often that someone will say, “keep your eye on the prize” or “practice makes perfect.”
Beauty knows no pain is also common just as it is.
Nassos:
Hello everyone,I think the saying Wer schon sein will,muss leiden-has the same meaning using almost the same words in greek.The expression-Am Ball bleiben-has not similar in greek,however as we are in football seems like Barcelona`s play and now Bayern`s play.Thanks for the lesson.