German term
von allem Guten haben
"“artha ist vor ca 2 Monaten zu ihrem Mann nach Jugoslavien gefahren, was ich Euch anscheinend zu schreiben vergaß. Sie sind bei einem Teil des Ereztransportes, der auf sein Weiterbeförderung wartet und schon so lange wie Laura unterwegs ist. Dort ist auch Sigl Löwy (David ist mit Laura), Oskar Antscherl, Moriz Schwadron, Páli Wessel, usw. Laura ist wirklich in Rumänien, es kam diese Woche eine Karte von ihr. Wenn sie nur bald weiter kämen! Lina Kanitz habe ich seit Dezember vorigen Jahres nicht gesehen. Ich weiß, daß es nicht recht von mir ist, aber ich muß nicht von allem Guten haben. Sie geht ueblich nicht aus und Tante Anna besucht sie von Zeit zu Zeit. Jeden Monat bedankt sie sich schriftlich bei mir für meine Intervention bei der K.G. [=Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde Wien].”
I find the phrase "von allem Guten haben" totally perplexing. Any ideas what the writer was getting at here?
Another example | philgoddard |
Proposed translations
do right by everyone (lit. blessèd with the promise of all good things)
Ich weiß, daß es nicht recht von mir ist, aber ich muß nicht von allem Guten haben : 'I know it's unfair of me, but I do not have to do right by everyone (Heaven help me)'.
There is a religious twist to the expression that may be easy to miss - see the example sentences.
AUT : 'Trink deinen Törley (champagne) auch ohne Urlaub. Man muß nicht von allem Guten haben.' Drink up your bubbly (vs. plonk as cheap wine), even when not on holiday. You need not always do right by everyone.'
Wir, die wir bei unsern Eltern im Wohlstand und *allem Guten* aufgewachsen waren, konnten es gar nicht ausdenken. ecodimaria.net We who have lived with our parents in idleness and *with all gifts from God* cannot even imagine it.
Lutherbibel 1912. Und es fehlte nichts *an allem Guten*, das der HERR dem Hause Israel verheißen hatte.//None of the good promises the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed.
To have everything come up trumps all the time
As this is a literary text, a certain amount of leeway with idiomatic expressions can be applied, I feel.
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Note added at 1 hr (2023-09-12 15:21:33 GMT)
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2To come up smelling of roses" could be another idiomatic phrase to use.
neutral |
Anna Wright
: agree it calls for an indiomatic translation. She seems to feel a bit beholden to others -- that's the impression I get
45 mins
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Maybe, yes.
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'to have everything turn out fine'
I have not seen Lina Kanitz since December last year. I know it is not right of me, but I must not have everything turn out fine. She does not normally go out and Aunt Anna visits me from time to time. She sends me a written vote of thanks each month for my intervention in the K.G. [= Vienna Jewish Community].”
neutral |
Andrew Bramhall
: Ajnt Anna sends a written VOTE of thanks ???
3 hrs
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'note'?
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to expect too much
[can't be] forever owing/returning favours
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Note added at 2 hrs (2023-09-12 16:06:34 GMT)
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Or she can't be forever beholden to others ?
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Note added at 2 hrs (2023-09-12 16:26:14 GMT)
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Or: can't always be full of good grace
[i.e. can't always play the saint]
This option may fit best.
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Note added at 3 hrs (2023-09-12 16:36:14 GMT)
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Note added at 3 hrs (2023-09-12 16:53:13 GMT)
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[one can't be] all things to all men
i.e. can't please everyone all the time
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Note added at 18 hrs (2023-09-13 08:20:53 GMT)
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[I'm not always obliged to] do my duty [by others]
Is my final.offer on this one!
Reference comments
Another example
http://books.google.com/books?id=ZGAuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA375&lpg=P...
Based on the two published occurrences of this phrase (provided by philgoddard and Björn Vrooman), it seems like the phrase that fits both of those contexts AND my letter from 1940 is something like "give in" or "do what's expected [of you]". So my letter writer could be saying: "I haven’t seen Lina Kanitz since December of last year. I know that it’s not right of me, but I don’t always have to do what’s expected of me. Regrettably, she doesn’t go out, and Aunt Anna visits her from time to time." So maybe she was feeling a little guilty about not paying Lina a visit now and then... |
In philgoddard's example, the property owners, whose taxes were being raised could have been saying: "We don't always have to do what's expected of us." And in Björn Vrooman's example: "So drink your Törley (Hungarian champagne) even when you're not on vacation! One doesn't always have to do what's expected." |
agree |
Björn Vrooman
: Good find. Another: https://www.google.de/books/edition/Leitmeritzer_Wochenblatt... In essence, "man muss nicht immer kleinbeigeben/sich fügen".
1 hr
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agree |
Anna Wright
2 hrs
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