← 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 1

English → Pt Full Text Level 9/10

A Modest Proposal

Uma Modesta Proposta

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.

Para evitar que as crianças dos pobres na Irlanda sejam um fardo para seus pais ou para o país, e para torná-las úteis ao público.

by Dr. Jonathan Swift

pelo Dr. Jonathan Swift

1729

It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads, and cabbin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms.

É um espetáculo melancólico para aqueles que caminham por esta grande cidade, ou viajam pelo campo, quando veem as ruas, as estradas e as portas das cabanas repletas de mendigos do sexo feminino, seguidas por três, quatro ou seis crianças, todas em farrapos, e importunando cada transeunte por uma esmola.

These mothers, instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in stroling to beg sustenance for their helpless infants who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country, to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes.

Essas mães, em vez de poderem trabalhar para ganhar honestamente a vida, são obrigadas a empregar todo o seu tempo vagando para mendigar sustento para seus indefesos filhos que, ao crescerem, ou se tornam ladrões por falta de trabalho, ou abandonam sua querida pátria para lutar pelo Pretendente na Espanha, ou se vendem às Barbados.

I think it is agreed by all parties, that this prodigious number of children in the arms, or on the backs, or at the heels of their mothers, and frequently of their fathers, is in the present deplorable state of the kingdom, a very great additional grievance; and therefore whoever could find out a fair, cheap and easy method of making these children sound and useful members of the commonwealth, would deserve so well of the publick, as to have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation.

Creio que é consenso entre todas as partes que esse prodigioso número de crianças nos braços, ou nas costas, ou nos calcanhares de suas mães, e frequentemente de seus pais, representa, no presente estado deplorável do reino, um agravo adicional muito grande; e, portanto, quem quer que pudesse descobrir um método justo, barato e fácil de tornar essas crianças membros sãos e úteis da comunidade, mereceria tão bem do público a ponto de ter sua estátua erguida como um preservador da nação.

Vocabulary

Uma: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (feminine).
Modesta: Modest, humble, or unassuming in nature.
Proposta: A proposal or suggestion put forward for consideration.
Para: Preposition meaning 'for,' 'to,' or 'in order to.'
evitar: To avoid or prevent something from happening.
que: Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that,' 'which,' or 'who.'
as: Definite article, feminine plural form of 'the.'
crianças: Children; young human beings not yet adults.
dos: Contraction of 'de' and 'os,' meaning 'of the' (masculine plural).
pobres: Poor people; those lacking financial resources.
na: Contraction of 'em' and 'a,' meaning 'in the' (feminine).
sejam: Subjunctive form of 'ser,' meaning 'be' (they/you plural).
um: Masculine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one.'
fardo: A burden or heavy load placed on someone.
seus: Possessive pronoun meaning 'their' or 'his/her' (plural).
pais: Parents; the father and mother of a child.
ou: Conjunction meaning 'or,' presenting an alternative option.
o: Masculine definite article meaning 'the.'
país: Country; a nation with its own government and territory.
e: Conjunction meaning 'and,' linking words or clauses.
torná-las: To make them (feminine); to turn or render them something.
úteis: Useful; serving a practical purpose or benefit.
ao: Contraction of 'a' and 'o,' meaning 'to the' (masculine).
público: The public; society or people in general.
pelo: Contraction of 'por' and 'o,' meaning 'by the' (masculine).
É: Third person singular of 'ser,' meaning 'it is.'
espetáculo: A spectacle or striking sight that draws attention.
melancólico: Melancholic; causing or expressing sadness and gloom.
aqueles: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'those' (masculine plural).
caminham: They walk; third person plural of 'caminhar.'
por: Preposition meaning 'through,' 'by,' or 'for.'
esta: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' (feminine singular).
grande: Large, great, or important in size or significance.
cidade: City; a large and important urban settlement.
viajam: They travel; third person plural of 'viajar.'
campo: Countryside or rural area outside urban centers.
quando: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when.'
veem: They see; third person plural present of 'ver.'
ruas: Streets; public roads in a town or city.
estradas: Roads or highways connecting places outside cities.
portas: Doors or entrances to buildings or rooms.
das: Contraction of 'de' and 'as,' meaning 'of the' (feminine plural).
cabanas: Huts or small, simple shelters for dwelling.
repletas: Full of or crowded with something; overflowing.
de: Preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or 'with.'
mendigos: Beggars; people who ask for money or charity.
do: Contraction of 'de' and 'o,' meaning 'of the' (masculine).
sexo: Sex or gender; biological classification of male or female.
feminino: Feminine; relating to women or the female gender.
seguidas: Followed by; accompanied or trailed closely behind.
três: The number three.
quatro: The number four.
seis: The number six.
todas: All; every one of a group (feminine plural).
em: Preposition meaning 'in,' 'at,' or 'on.'
farrapos: Rags; torn and worn-out pieces of clothing.
importunando: Pestering or persistently bothering someone for something.
cada: Each or every; referring to individual members of a group.
transeunte: A passerby; someone walking past in the street.
uma: Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one.'
esmola: Alms or charity given to a poor or needy person.
Essas: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'those' (feminine plural, nearby).
mães: Mothers; women who have given birth to children.
vez: Time or occasion; instance of something occurring.
poderem: Infinitive of 'poder' with third person plural inflection, meaning 'to be able.'
trabalhar: To work; to perform labor or a job.
ganhar: To earn or win; to obtain through effort or luck.
honestamente: Honestly; in an honest, fair, and truthful manner.
a: Feminine definite article meaning 'the.'
vida: Life; the state of being alive and living.
são: Third person plural of 'ser,' meaning 'they are.'
obrigadas: Forced or obliged to do something (feminine plural).
empregar: To employ or use; to dedicate time or effort.
todo: All or every; the whole of something.
seu: Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' 'their,' or 'your.'
tempo: Time; the ongoing sequence of events and duration.
vagando: Wandering or roaming aimlessly from place to place.
mendigar: To beg; to ask others for money or charity.
sustento: Sustenance; food or means necessary to survive.
indefesos: Defenseless; helpless and unable to protect oneself.
filhos: Children or sons; one's offspring or descendants.
crescerem: When they grow up; inflected form of 'crescer.'
se: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'themselves,' 'oneself,' or 'each other.'
tornam: They become; third person plural of 'tornar-se.'
ladrões: Thieves; people who steal others' property illegally.
falta: Lack or absence of something needed or expected.
trabalho: Work or employment; labor done to earn a living.
abandonam: They abandon; leave behind without intention to return.
sua: Possessive adjective meaning 'her,' 'his,' 'their,' or 'your' (feminine).
querida: Dear or beloved; cherished and affectionately regarded.
pátria: Homeland or fatherland; one's native country.
lutar: To fight or struggle for a cause or goal.
Pretendente: Pretender; one who claims a throne or title.
vendem: They sell; third person plural present of 'vender.'
às: Contraction of 'a' and 'as,' meaning 'to the' (feminine plural).
Creio: I believe; first person singular of 'crer.'
é: Third person singular of 'ser,' meaning 'is.'
consenso: Consensus; general agreement among a group of people.
entre: Preposition meaning 'between' or 'among.'
partes: Parties or parts; groups involved in a situation.
esse: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (masculine singular, nearby).
prodigioso: Prodigious; remarkably large or extraordinary in amount.
número: Number; a quantity or count of something.
nos: Contraction of 'em' and 'os,' meaning 'in the' (masculine plural).
braços: Arms; the upper limbs of the human body.
nas: Contraction of 'em' and 'as,' meaning 'in the' (feminine plural).
costas: Backs; the rear part of the human body.
calcanhares: Heels; the back part of the human foot.
suas: Possessive adjective meaning 'their' or 'her' (feminine plural).
frequentemente: Frequently; happening often or at short intervals.
representa: Represents; stands for or is a symbol of something.
no: Contraction of 'em' and 'o,' meaning 'in the' (masculine).
presente: Present; current time or existing at this moment.
estado: State or condition; the current situation of something.
deplorável: Deplorable; shockingly bad or deserving strong condemnation.
reino: Kingdom; a country or realm ruled by a monarch.
agravo: A grievance or injustice causing harm or hardship.
adicional: Additional; extra or added beyond what already exists.
muito: Very or much; indicating a large degree or quantity.
portanto: Therefore; used to introduce a logical conclusion.
quem: Who; a relative or interrogative pronoun for people.
quer: Whoever or whatever; expressing any person or thing.
pudesse: Past subjunctive of 'poder'; could or might be able.
descobrir: To discover or find out something previously unknown.
método: Method; a systematic way of doing something.
justo: Fair or just; following principles of fairness and equality.
barato: Cheap or inexpensive; costing little money.
fácil: Easy; requiring little effort or difficulty to do.
tornar: To make or turn into; to cause something to become.
essas: Those; demonstrative adjective (feminine plural, nearby reference).
membros: Members; individuals belonging to a group or community.
sãos: Healthy or sound; in good physical or moral condition.
da: Contraction of 'de' and 'a,' meaning 'of the' (feminine).
comunidade: Community; a group sharing common location or interests.
mereceria: Would deserve; conditional of 'merecer.'
tão: So or as; used in comparisons to indicate degree.
bem: Well; in a good or satisfactory manner.
ponto: Point; a specific aspect or item being considered.
ter: To have; to possess or hold something.
estátua: A statue; a sculpted figure representing a person.
erguida: Erected or raised; built upright in a fixed position.
como: As or like; used to compare or introduce a role.
preservador: Preserver or protector; one who keeps something safe.
nação: Nation; a large group of people sharing territory and government.

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