Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
se desgastan en un irrelevante y pasajero control del Estado
English translation:
waste away in their meaningless and transient control of the State
Spanish term
Spain
A cut above the rest in translation...
Native in: English (Variants: Irish, US, UK) 
, Spanish (Variants: Latin American, Standard-Spain)
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 2 more.
se desgastan en un irrelevante y pasajero control del Estado
I understand the meaning, but am lost for words in the English. Translating into US English. Any ideas?
“Esta es otra muestra de cómo las religiones utilizan a los estados y los Imperios, quienes en un momento determinado de la historia caen y perecen, mientras que la religión permanece triunfante y rápidamente con su influencia, continua su avance; esta vez en la cabeza de otro estado dominante.
El Islamismo en sus 1400 años de historia, con 2000 millones de creyentes continúa definiendo la política de los Estados, mientras los políticos se desgastan en un irrelevante y pasajero control del Estado.”
Many thanks in advance.
Nov 5, 2010 19:01: bcsantos changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"
Nov 7, 2010 12:55: Lydia De Jorge changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/141521">James A. Walsh's</a> old entry - "se desgastan en un irrelevante y pasajero control del Estado"" to ""waste away in their meaningless and transient control of the State""
PRO (3): lorenab23, Lydia De Jorge, bcsantos
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Proposed translations
United States
Don't just say it, say it right!
Native in: Spanish , English
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
...come and go/waste away in an irrelevant/meaningless and transient control...
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Note added at 1 day19 hrs (2010-11-07 12:54:37 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad I could help, James! Un abrazo!
wear themselves out in a pointless/fruitless/inconsequential and transient/fleeting control of the
| agree |
JaneTranslates
: Before I looked at the answers, I thought of "wear themselves out," so I certainly agree with you! Among the options you give, I would choose "pointless" and "transient."
14 mins
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Thanks JaneTranslates:)
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| agree |
AllegroTrans
17 mins
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Thanks Allegrotrans!
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| agree |
Carolina Brito
37 mins
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thanks britos:)
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| neutral |
philgoddard
: I don't think "wear themselves out" works here - doesn't it mean (as Lesley suggests) " waste time"?
1 hr
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No. It means to wear out :)
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| agree |
Rosa Paredes
: @ phil, No, it does not mean "waste time", but to wear out.
3 hrs
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Thanks Rosa:)
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| agree |
Andy Watkinson
: Very nicely put.
5 hrs
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Thank you :)
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they waste their time exercising an irrelevant and ephimeral control of the State
| neutral |
philgoddard
: I think this is better than the other two suggestions, but I'm still not sure what "ephemeral" means.
1 hr
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Ireland
right word, right place. everytime
Native in: English (Variants: US, Canadian, Irish, UK) 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
Discussion