Sure, you can translate what it approximately means, but it's nearly impossible to carry the same connotation, rhythm and meaning in a reasonable amount of text

Sure, you can translate what it approximately means, but it's nearly impossible to carry the same connotation, rhythm and meaning in a reasonable amount of text. For example the saying in Estonian: "Keelan, käsen, poon ja lasen!" It's often used in the context of someone having too much power, but the tone of the saying is not formal compared to when people start to talk about the separation of the three powers. I suspect the joking/informal tone comes from the fact that the saying rhymes and has a nice rhythm. Direct translation of it, "I forbid, order, hang and shoot!" just doesn't pack the same punch or carry the same meaning because it's not just words that have to be translated. I think that's what people mean by saying "this cannot be translated correctly into your language".