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I'm looking at getting a Latin phrase/quote on my arm and I'd like to know if the translation I'm thinking about using is correct. I've pulled some translations from this website (Protected By God - Latin Discussion) and they seem to be correct but I would like the help of more knowledgeable people to confirm that.

These are the 'phrases' I'm looking to use:

  • Deo Servante (With God protecting)

  • Deo Custode (With God as a guardian)

  • Deo Aegide (With God as a shield)

  • Deo Patrocinante (With God protecting)

  • Deo Patrono (With God as a guardian)

  • Deo Praesite (With God protecting)

  • Deo Tutamine (With God as a protecting force (trying to illustrate that it is neuter))

  • Deo Tutante (With God protecting)

  • Deo Vindicante (With God protecting/seeking vengeance)

I just want to know if these are the actual translations, but also if you can give me the translation for 'God is vengeful' or 'God will vindicate' than that is the actual translation I am looking for.

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  • Welcome to the site! To clarify your question, is there any specific meaning you like best for which you'd like the translation, or are you merely confirming the translations you found?
    – Sam K
    Commented May 29, 2017 at 21:21
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    "Deo vindice" with God as avenger/protector was the motto of the Confederate States of America. The verb "vindico" carries both meanings: protect and punish or avenge. There are several bible verses that refer to God's vengeance, e.g. Romans 12: 19-21. See kingjamesbibleonline.org/Bible-Verses-About-Vengeance
    – user1466
    Commented May 29, 2017 at 23:48
  • @Palizsche Hey, you might be able to shed some light on this question about vindice (including whether my answer, pieced together from various sources, was on track). The OP might want to have a look at that question, too.
    – Ben Kovitz
    Commented May 31, 2017 at 1:41
  • This answer doesn't give you the word you're looking for, but the examples might shed some light on the meaning of the ablative case—especially the names of the Dutch ships. (All of your phrases above are in the ablative case.) Latin's ablative case is usually perfect for this sort of thing: terse, epigrammatic, and echoing lots of prior poetic usage and mottos.
    – Ben Kovitz
    Commented May 31, 2017 at 1:54
  • @BenKovitz, thanks for asking -- I'll have a look, when I get a chance. I still keep meaning to get back to your Gentleman and the Horace ode about "aurea mediocritas" too. Latinitas longa, vita brevis.
    – user1466
    Commented May 31, 2017 at 3:08

2 Answers 2

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Based on your question, I will confirm the translations provided, and the format will be Original Latin-English Translation.

Deo Servante - With God protecting/preserving/guarding

Deo Custode - With God the guard/protector/watchman

Deo Aegide - With God the shield/defense

Deo Patrocinante - With God defending/protecting

Deo Patrono - With God the patron/advocate (I don't really like this one because patronus had a more specific cultural meaning, but it still works I guess.)

Deo Praesite - Praesite most likely is a misspelling of Praeside, which would make the translation: With God the protector/guardian/defender

Deo Tutamine - With God the means of protection/protection

Deo Tutante - With God guarding/protecting/defending

Deo Vindicante - With God claiming/vindicating/avenging

So now that you know what those phrases mean more closely, here are my suggestions for what you would like:

God is vengeful - Deus ultrix (est)

In this one, est is the "is," and is commonly omitted in things like this, so feel free to include it or exclude it if you want.

God will vindicate - Deus vindicabit/iustificabit

Both verbs mean vindicate, so choose only one, but I prefer vindicabit more because it has the more vengeful context you seem to be looking for.

Now, those are literal translations of the phrases about which you asked, but I have some other suggestions that may also work.

Deus Ultor/Vindicator - God the Avenger

There was an actual Roman god named Mars Ultor or Mars the Avenger, so this makes sense as a construction, plus it sounds pretty cool in my opinion.

Deus Vindicaturus - God about to Avenge

I don't prefer this one, but I though of it and it still has a similar meaning, so I figured I'd still put it here.

I hope this helps, and good luck!

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  • @Sam K Yes I am just looking for clarification. But If you could put me in touch with the literal quote of 'God is vengeful' that would be great! Many thanks.
    – BlakeWebb
    Commented May 29, 2017 at 21:27
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    Good answer. Two comments: 1. Ultrix is feminine, ultor is masculine. 2. I suspect it's supposed to be praeside from praeses, with D instead of T.
    – Joonas Ilmavirta ♦
    Commented May 29, 2017 at 23:19
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    Is ultrix ever used to describe a masculine noun (or a singular neuter one)? The more common idiom indeed is deus ultor, "God the avenger." For the double nouns above, I'd also suggest using "as"; e.g. Deo Aegis, "With God as [My] Shield."
    – cmw ♦
    Commented Dec 20, 2017 at 21:18
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    @SamK I think the issue is that though it's an adjective, it's a feminine construction. The feminine form of the -tor suffix is -trix. There's even an answer about it. I would avoid.
    – cmw ♦
    Commented Dec 21, 2017 at 0:52
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    It's an anomaly, for sure. I think it was at some point reclassified as an adjective based on its modifying a neuter plural noun, but it's morphologically similar to other feminine nouns of its type, like nurtrix, matrix, and meretrix. Using it with deus sounds highly unusual to my (admittedly imperfect and certainly not natural) ears.
    – cmw ♦
    Commented Dec 21, 2017 at 7:15
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"If you could put me in touch with the literal quote of 'God is vengeful' that would be great!"

Perhaps Nahum 1:2, as it appears in the Vulgate, is close to what you are after? The full verse is:

Deus aemulator et ulciscens Dominus ulciscens Dominus et habens furorem ulciscens Dominus in hostes suos et irascens ipse inimicis suis

A jealous and avenging God is the LORD, the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries, and rages against his enemies (NRSV)

From which you could take the participial clause Dominus ulciscens, the LORD is vengeful. 'LORD' is translating the tetragrammaton of the Hebrew Bible; you could substitute Deus if you specifically want 'God' in the clause - Deus ulciscens.

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