Translation of 'love yourself'?

Hello,

How would you translate 'love yourself' in japanese?
I found some Translation, so I'm not really sure which is right?
This is what google says: 自分を愛する
Or this: 自分を愛して

Can you Tell me how you would write it? I want to usw it for a Tattoo, so I really want to know.

Thanks

better not make tattoos in languages you dont know perfectly :-)

also (but that is just my opinion): isnt the text a little selfish sounding? i think you translate from german directly, but it doesnt sound good in japanese and i think there is no expression that would clearly state the original german "liebe dich selbst" in japanese well. (actually i wouldnt even consider it a good text for a german tattoo). think about it.

First and foremost, I don't see any reason why they can't get a tattoo of the specific phrase that they want on their own body. There's nothing selfish about it.

Personally, I don't think they got the phrase directly translated from German, but from BTS, a Korean group. “So we want to say that if you won't be true to yourself, the love won't last. The love could be between a person and a person, but it could also be between me and myself.” — RM, BTS' leader. With all the different kinds of love in society, we forget one of the most important love, which is to love yourself. You could interpret it differently but that's what I think the phrase, 'love yourself', means.

To answer your question, though 自分を愛する can be directly translated to 'love yourself', it doesn't capture the meaning of the phrase entirely and can make you seem self-centered. So, the better phrase would be 自愛する.

I hope you get the tattoo you want! If my speculations are wrong regarding BTS, feel free to inform me. I hope I helped you out in some way. ^^

I think you should get advise from a native speaker. For me, non native the part of する orして just sounds like a sentence from a grammar text book.
There isn’t a direct example in English, but maybe if in German (assuming the PP was right that you are German) think of it like a sentence “Lieben Sie sich selbst.” Grammatically correct, but you don’t want a grammar structure tattooed on you.

For a Japanese tattoo I think it only makes sense if you can stick to kanji only. Once you start needing hiragana or katakana (if you don’t know what I am talking about Wikipedia is your friend) it gets awkward in a tattoo.

Not many native Japanese would respond to this thread, because (1) they don't recommend you do it, and (2) they think 'why would you tattoo something like that?'. But they don't want to say it, as it might offend the OP. Besides, Japanese don't tattoo words (unless it's a poem, or something) - most tattoo mythical figures or objects that represent the message.

If you really really really want to, go with 自愛 - all kanji. Chinese can understand it, too. But I really really don't recommend it. How about just 💛?

"...mythical figure that represents the message..."

Hmmm, who would that be...?

I know, the Greek mythology figure Narcissus!

Answering your question, "愛する" is basic verb form and "愛して" is imperative sentence in a mild expression.

I think you can get tattoo whatever you want. Japanese people has different sense or view of tattoo. Some Japanese might say your Japanese word tattoo is lame when they see it. But if you think it's cool, then screw them! Also, "love yourself" is not common idea in Japanese culture. That's why some Japanese think it's weird and even narcissistic.
I personally think it's awesome and grateful when I see Japanese tattoos on western people.

Officially it would be 自分自身を愛すこと which can be translated to love yourself. Of course it is to long.
自愛 would be translated to self-love. Self-love means to take care of yourself and to take care of your health. In other words, “Please love yourself”
In Japan 自愛 is often used as a closing word in the last part of letters and emails.
So personally I do not know well if this would be suitable for a tattoo.

自愛 means "taking care of your health" rather than "love yourself". It's funny if someone has it as a tattoo.

here an article, or maybe I misunderstood.
https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20180813-652615/