← A Modest Proposal: For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick

A Modest Proposal: For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick — Page 4

English → Spanish Full Text Level 9/10

For we can neither employ them in handicraft or agriculture; they neither build houses, (I mean in the country) nor cultivate land: they can very seldom pick up a livelihood by stealing till they arrive at six years old; except where they are of towardly parts, although I confess they learn the rudiments much earlier; during which time they can however be properly looked upon only as probationers; as I have been informed by a principal gentleman in the county of Cavan, who protested to me, that he never knew above one or two instances under the age of six, even in a part of the kingdom so renowned for the quickest proficiency in that art.

Pues no podemos emplearlos ni en oficios manuales ni en la agricultura; no construyen casas (me refiero en el campo) ni cultivan la tierra: muy rara vez pueden ganarse la vida robando hasta que llegan a los seis años de edad; salvo en el caso de los que tienen aptitudes especiales, aunque confieso que aprenden los rudimentos mucho antes; durante cuyo tiempo no se les puede considerar debidamente sino como aprendices; según me ha informado un distinguido caballero del condado de Cavan, quien me aseguró que nunca había conocido más de uno o dos casos por debajo de los seis años, incluso en una región del reino tan renombrada por la mayor rapidez en el dominio de ese arte.

I am assured by our merchants, that a boy or a girl, before twelve years old, is no saleable commodity, and even when they come to this age, they will not yield above three pounds, or three pounds and half a crown at most, on the exchange; which cannot turn to account either to the parents or kingdom, the charge of nutriments and rags having been at least four times that value.

Me aseguran nuestros comerciantes que un niño o una niña, antes de los doce años, no es una mercancía vendible, e incluso cuando llegan a esa edad, no rinden más de tres libras, o tres libras y media corona como máximo, en el mercado; lo cual no puede resultar beneficioso ni para los padres ni para el reino, habiendo sido el coste de la manutención y los harapos al menos cuatro veces ese valor.

I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection.

Por lo tanto, me permitiré ahora proponer humildemente mis propias ideas, que espero no darán lugar a la menor objeción.

Vocabulary

Pues
Well; then; since; a conjunction expressing consequence.
no
No; not; negation.
podemos
We can; first person plural present of poder.
emplearlos
To employ them; to use them.
ni
Neither; nor; used to connect negative clauses.
en
In; on; at; preposition indicating location or position.
oficios
Occupations; trades; professions or skilled occupations.
manuales
Manual; done or operated by hand.
la
The; feminine singular definite article.
agricultura
Agriculture; farming; the practice of cultivating land.
construyen
They build; third person plural present of construir.
casas
Houses; homes; buildings used for dwelling.
me
Me; direct or indirect object pronoun.
refiero
I refer; first person singular present of referir.
el
The; masculine singular definite article.
campo
Field; countryside; rural area.
cultivan
They cultivate; third person plural present of cultivar.
tierra
Land; earth; soil used for agriculture.
muy
Very; much; used to modify adjectives or adverbs.
rara
Rare; uncommon; seldom occurring or found.
vez
Time; occasion; instance.
pueden
They can; third person plural present of poder.
ganarse
To earn for oneself; to gain livelihood.
vida
Life; existence; livelihood.
robando
Stealing; robbing; present participle of robar.
hasta
Until; up to; as far as.
que
That; which; who; relative pronoun.
llegan
They arrive; third person plural present of llegar.
los
The; masculine plural definite article.
seis
Six; the number 6.
años
Years; age; period of twelve months.
de
Of; from; expressing possession or origin.
edad
Age; period of life; how old.
salvo
Except; unless; save; excluding.
caso
Case; instance; situation or circumstance.
tienen
They have; third person plural present of tener.
aptitudes
Aptitudes; talents; natural abilities or skills.
especiales
Special; particular; distinguished or noteworthy.
aunque
Although; though; even if; despite.
confieso
I confess; first person singular present of confesar.
aprenden
They learn; third person plural present of aprender.
rudimentos
Rudiments; basics; fundamental principles or elements.
mucho
Much; a lot; a great quantity.
antes
Before; previously; earlier in time.
durante
During; throughout; in the course of.
cuyo
Whose; of which; possessive relative pronoun.
tiempo
Time; weather; period or duration.
se
Reflexive pronoun; oneself; themselves.
les
Them; to them; indirect object pronoun.
considera
Is considered; third person singular present of considerar.
debidamente
Duly; properly; in a fitting manner.
sino
But; rather; except; contrasting conjunction.
como
As; like; in the capacity of.
aprendices
Apprentices; learners; persons learning a trade.
según
According to; as per; depending on.
ha
Has; third person singular present of haber.
informado
Informed; notified; past participle of informar.
un
A; an; indefinite article masculine singular.
distinguido
Distinguished; renowned; notable; of high standing.
caballero
Gentleman; knight; a man of good birth.
del
Of the; from the; contraction de + el.
condado
County; shire; administrative division of land.
quien
Who; whom; which person; relative pronoun.
aseguró
Assured; assured; past tense of asegurar.
nunca
Never; not ever; at no time.
había
Had; third person singular imperfect of haber.
conocido
Known; acquainted; past participle of conocer.
más
More; greater in quantity or degree.
uno
One; a single; the number 1.
dos
Two; the number 2.
por
By; for; through; expressing agent or cause.
debajo
Below; underneath; beneath.
incluso
Even; including; moreover.
una
A; an; indefinite article feminine singular.
región
Region; area; district; geographical territory.
reino
Kingdom; realm; domain; sovereign state.
tan
So; such; to such a degree.
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