Beyond Good and Evil — Page 8

English → Fr CHAPTER I. PREJUDICES OF PHILOSOPHERS Level 9/10

But whoever considers the fundamental impulses of man with a view to determining how far they may have here acted as INSPIRING GENII (or as demons and cobolds), will find that they have all practiced philosophy at one time or another, and that each one of them would have been only too glad to look upon itself as the ultimate end of existence and the legitimate LORD over all the other impulses.

Mais quiconque considère les impulsions fondamentales de l'homme dans le but de déterminer dans quelle mesure elles ont pu agir ici comme des GÉNIES INSPIRATEURS (ou comme des démons et des kobolds), constatera qu'elles ont toutes pratiqué la philosophie à un moment ou à un autre, et que chacune d'elles n'aurait été que trop heureuse de se considérer comme la fin ultime de l'existence et le SEIGNEUR légitime sur toutes les autres impulsions.

For every impulse is imperious, and as SUCH, attempts to philosophize.

Car toute impulsion est impérieuse, et EN TANT QUE TELLE, elle cherche à philosopher.

To be sure, in the case of scholars, in the case of really scientific men, it may be otherwise--"better," if you will; there there may really be such a thing as an "impulse to knowledge," some kind of small, independent clock-work, which, when well wound up, works away industriously to that end, WITHOUT the rest of the scholarly impulses taking any material part therein.

Certes, dans le cas des érudits, dans le cas des hommes véritablement scientifiques, il peut en être autrement — « mieux », si vous voulez ; il peut vraiment exister là une chose telle qu'une « impulsion vers la connaissance », une sorte de petit mécanisme d'horlogerie indépendant, qui, bien remonté, travaille industrieusement à cette fin, SANS que le reste des impulsions savantes y prennent une part matérielle quelconque.

The actual "interests" of the scholar, therefore, are generally in quite another direction--in the family, perhaps, or in money-making, or in politics; it is, in fact, almost indifferent at what point of research his little machine is placed, and whether the hopeful young worker becomes a good philologist, a mushroom specialist, or a chemist; he is not CHARACTERISED by becoming this or that.

Les véritables « intérêts » de l'érudit sont donc généralement dans une tout autre direction — dans la famille, peut-être, ou dans la recherche de l'argent, ou dans la politique ; il est, en fait, presque indifférent à quel point de recherche sa petite machine est placée, et que le jeune travailleur plein d'espoir devienne un bon philologue, un spécialiste des champignons, ou un chimiste ; il n'est pas CARACTÉRISÉ par le fait de devenir ceci ou cela.

Vocabulary

Mais: Conjunction meaning 'but,' used to contrast ideas.
quiconque: Whoever, anyone who; refers to any person.
considère: Considers, examines, or thinks carefully about something.
impulsions: Impulses; sudden urges or driving forces within.
fondamentales: Fundamental, basic, essential; describing core elements.
homme: Man or human being; referring to humankind generally.
but: Goal or purpose; aim one intends to achieve.
déterminer: To determine, establish, or find out something.
quelle: What or which; feminine interrogative or relative adjective.
mesure: Measure or extent; degree to which something applies.
pu: Past participle of 'pouvoir,' meaning 'been able to.'
agir: To act or to take action on something.
ici: Here; in this place or context.
comme: As or like; used to introduce comparisons.
GÉNIES: Geniuses or guiding spirits; exceptional creative intellects.
INSPIRATEURS: Inspirers; those who inspire or motivate others creatively.
démons: Demons; evil or mischievous supernatural beings.
constatera: Will note or observe; future tense of 'constater.'
toutes: All; feminine plural form of 'tout.'
pratiqué: Practiced or engaged in an activity regularly.
philosophie: Philosophy; study of fundamental questions about existence.
moment: Moment; a brief period or point in time.
autre: Other or another; referring to a different one.
chacune: Each one; feminine form referring to every individual.
aurait: Would have; conditional form of 'avoir.'
trop: Too or too much; indicating excess of something.
heureuse: Happy or pleased; feminine adjective expressing contentment.
considérer: To consider or regard something in a certain way.
fin: End or purpose; ultimate goal of something.
ultime: Ultimate; final or most important of all.
existence: Existence; the state of being or living.
SEIGNEUR: Lord or master; one with authority over others.
légitime: Legitimate; lawful, rightful, or justly recognized.
autres: Others; plural form referring to other people or things.
Car: For or because; conjunction introducing an explanation.
toute: Every or all; feminine singular form of 'tout.'
impulsion: Impulse; a sudden urge or motivating force.
impérieuse: Imperious or commanding; demanding obedience forcefully.
TANT: So much; used in 'en tant que' meaning 'as.'
TELLE: Such or as such; referring to itself as described.
cherche: Seeks or looks for; third-person singular of 'chercher.'
philosopher: To philosophize; to engage in philosophical thought or discussion.
Certes: Certainly or admittedly; used to concede a point.
cas: Case or instance; a specific example or situation.
érudits: Scholars or erudites; people of great learned knowledge.
hommes: Men or people; plural of 'homme.'
véritablement: Truly or genuinely; in a real or authentic manner.
scientifiques: Scientific or scientists; relating to science or its practitioners.
être: To be; fundamental verb of existence or identity.
autrement: Otherwise or differently; in another way.
mieux: Better; comparative adverb indicating improvement or superiority.
si: If or so; conditional conjunction or intensifier.
voulez: Want; second-person plural of 'vouloir.'
vraiment: Really or truly; adverb emphasizing truth or sincerity.
exister: To exist; to have being or reality.
là: There; indicating a place or point being referenced.
chose: Thing; a general object, matter, or concept.
telle: Such; used to describe something of a certain kind.
vers: Toward; preposition indicating direction or tendency.
connaissance: Knowledge or acquaintance; awareness or understanding of something.
sorte: Sort or kind; a type or variety of something.
petit: Small or little; describing something of minor size.
mécanisme: Mechanism; a system of parts working together.
horlogerie: Clockmaking or watchmaking; the craft of making timepieces.
indépendant: Independent; self-sufficient, not relying on others.
bien: Well or good; adverb indicating quality or degree.
remonté: Wound up; past participle of 'remonter,' as a clock.
travaille: Works; third-person singular present of 'travailler.'
industrieusement: Industriously; in a hardworking and diligent manner.
cette: This; feminine demonstrative adjective pointing to something.
SANS: Without; preposition indicating absence or lack of something.
reste: Rest or remainder; what remains after something is taken.
savantes: Learned or scholarly; feminine plural adjective for erudite people.
y: There or to it; pronoun replacing a place or thing.
prennent: Take; third-person plural present of 'prendre.'
part: Part or share; involvement or participation in something.
matérielle: Material; relating to physical matter or personal interest.
quelconque: Any whatsoever; of any kind, often implying insignificance.
véritables: True or genuine; real and not false or pretended.
intérêts: Interests; things one cares about or finds important.
érudit: Scholar; a learned person with extensive academic knowledge.
donc: Therefore or so; conjunction indicating a logical consequence.
généralement: Generally or usually; in most cases or situations.
tout: All or everything; refers to the entirety of something.
direction: Direction or management; a course or guiding leadership.
famille: Family; a group of related people living together.
peut-être: Perhaps or maybe; expressing uncertainty or possibility.
recherche: Research or search; an investigation or inquiry into something.
argent: Money or silver; currency or a precious metal.
politique: Politics or policy; relating to governance or political affairs.
fait: Fact or does; a reality or third-person of 'faire.'
presque: Almost or nearly; very close to but not quite.
indifférent: Indifferent; not caring or showing no preference.
quel: Which or what; masculine interrogative or relative adjective.
point: Point or spot; a specific location or topic.
petite: Small or little; feminine adjective indicating minor size.
machine: Machine; a mechanical device performing specific functions.
placée: Placed or positioned; past participle of 'placer.'
jeune: Young; adjective describing someone of youth.
travailleur: Worker or laborer; someone who performs diligent work.
plein: Full or filled; containing the maximum amount possible.
espoir: Hope; a feeling of expectation and desire for something.
devienne: Becomes; subjunctive form of 'devenir.'
bon: Good; adjective indicating quality or moral virtue.
spécialiste: Specialist; an expert in a particular field or subject.
champignons: Mushrooms or fungi; plants lacking chlorophyll, used in cooking.
chimiste: Chemist; a scientist who studies chemistry and substances.
CARACTÉRISÉ: Characterized; defined or distinguished by specific features.
devenir: To become; to change into or develop into something.
ceci: This; demonstrative pronoun referring to something nearby.
cela: That; demonstrative pronoun referring to something more distant.

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