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[lojban] What is X but Y?



A while ago I did a draft translation of the first half of the chapter "On giving" from "The Prophet". That chapter features several instances of the idiomatic construction "What is X but Y?". I tried a somewhat literal rendering, but am not very confident in it. Here's a short example.

And what is fear of need but need itself?
i je lo za'i terpa lo za'i nitcu cu du ma .o nai lo je'u za'i nitcu

It's the {ma .o nai} that I'm not too thrilled about. Any suggestions?

mu'o mi'e komfo,amonan