I agree with SuStel:  the first option is fine.  Or is lightning (the general phenomenon) an attribute of another god whom you need to distinguish from Zeus?  IF not, then keep it simple.

Voragh

From: tlhIngan-Hol <tlhingan-hol-bounces@lists.kli.org> On Behalf Of SuStel

On 5/24/2021 8:21 AM, mayqel qunen'oS wrote:

I want to say "One of the attributes of Zeus is the lightning bolt"; i.e. "the thing
which looks like an arrow/spear made of lightning" which is held by Zeus. […]
Is it enough to write:
pe'bIl 'oH wa' zeus DI'on''e'
one of the characteristics of zeus is the lightning
Or should I necessarily write:
pe'bIl tIH 'oH wa' zeus DI'on''e'
one of the characteristics of zeus is the lightning ray/beam

Lightning doesn't come in rays. Unless Okrand has said otherwise, there is no such thing as a pe'bIl tIH outside of pulp films and novels. I dunno, maybe the word tIH is more flexible than that, but if it is, I'm not aware of any confirmation of this. Maybe Klingons talk about pan emit sparks. I dunno.

Since the English word lightning could refer to either the general phenomenon or a singular bolt, I don't think you'll be able to answer exactly what pe'bIl means. I'd just leave it as pe'bIl 'oH wa' Zeus DI'on'e'.

-- 
SuStel
http://trimboli.name