English translation of "confié à notre amitié et à notre vigilance" - "had been placed in our benevolent care"

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47 months ago

Barbara Cochran (a guest user) asked this question:

Language pair:	French > English
Subject:	General
Level of diffculty:	Easy / medium
Word or term in question:	confié à notre amitié et à notre vigilance
Context:	Il est certain, maintenant que les projets allemands mis au point au début de la guerre nous sont connus, que le chef-d’œuvre des Van Eyck aurait été saisi, quel que fût le pays où il se serait trouvé. Mais cet acte de brigandage sur notre sol ne pouvait nous laisser indifférents. Attaché par tant de liens à l’âme même de la Belgique, ce polyptyque avait été confié à notre amitié et à notre vigilance. Don't care for the literal interpretation, in this case.

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Complete list of answers and comments

47 months ago

wrote:

Had been left to our care, trusting our friendship and watchfulness

My comment:

In the French phrase, the word "amitié sounds like an intruder. On confie qch à la garde ou à la vigilance de qn, mais pas à l'amitié, mais plutôt en raison de l'amitié. That's why I opted for this translation.

Comments by other colleagues on this answer:

47 months ago

wrote:

Or: "confindent in our...". (In the phrase, the author mixed up "confier à" and "faire confiance à").

47 months ago

Ffion Marianne Moyle wrote:

CMD is right - entrusted to our loyalty or mutual friendship & oversight or watchful eye

My comment:

As ever various ways of saying this but CMD got it right

47 months ago

CMD wrote:

had been entrusted to our loyalty and to our watchful eye