Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 26
He showed unparalleled malignity and selfishness in evil; he destroyed my friends; he devoted to destruction beings who possessed exquisite sensations, happiness, and wisdom; nor do I know where this thirst for vengeance may end.
Mostró una maldad y un egoísmo en el mal sin parangón; destruyó a mis amigos; consagró a la destrucción a seres que poseían sensaciones exquisitas, felicidad y sabiduría; ni sé yo dónde puede terminar esta sed de venganza.
Miserable himself that he may render no other wretched, he ought to die.
Miserable él mismo para no hacer desgraciado a ningún otro, debería morir.
The task of his destruction was mine, but I have failed.
La tarea de su destrucción era mía, pero he fracasado.
When actuated by selfish and vicious motives, I asked you to undertake my unfinished work, and I renew this request now, when I am only induced by reason and virtue.
Cuando estaba movido por motivos egoístas y viciosos, te pedí que emprendieras mi obra inacabada, y renuevo esta petición ahora, cuando solo me guían la razón y la virtud.
"Yet I cannot ask you to renounce your country and friends to fulfil this task; and now that you are returning to England, you will have little chance of meeting with him.
"Sin embargo, no puedo pedirte que renuncies a tu patria y a tus amigos para cumplir esta tarea; y ahora que regresas a Inglaterra, tendrás pocas posibilidades de encontrarte con él.
But the consideration of these points, and the well balancing of what you may esteem your duties, I leave to you; my judgment and ideas are already disturbed by the near approach of death.
Pero la consideración de estos puntos, y el buen equilibrio de lo que puedas estimar tus deberes, te lo dejo a ti; mi juicio y mis ideas ya están perturbados por la cercanía de la muerte.
I dare not ask you to do what I think right, for I may still be misled by passion.
No me atrevo a pedirte que hagas lo que creo correcto, pues aún podría estar extraviado por la pasión.
"That he should live to be an instrument of mischief disturbs me; in other respects, this hour, when I momentarily expect my release, is the only happy one which I have enjoyed for several years.
"Que él viva para ser un instrumento de daño me perturba; en otros aspectos, esta hora, en que aguardo momentáneamente mi liberación, es la única feliz que he disfrutado en varios años.
The forms of the beloved dead flit before me, and I hasten to their arms.
Las formas de los queridos muertos revolotean ante mí, y me apresuro hacia sus brazos.
Farewell, Walton! Seek happiness in tranquillity and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries.
¡Adiós, Walton! Busca la felicidad en la tranquilidad y evita la ambición, aunque sea solo la aparentemente inocente de distinguirte en la ciencia y los descubrimientos.
Vocabulary
- Mostró
- Third person singular preterite of 'mostrar'; showed or displayed
- maldad
- Wickedness or evil; morally bad quality or action
- egoísmo
- Selfishness; excessive concern for oneself over others
- mal
- Evil or harm; something morally wrong or harmful
- parangón
- A comparison or match; something used as a benchmark
- destruyó
- Third person singular preterite of 'destruir'; destroyed completely
- consagró
- Third person singular preterite of 'consagrar'; dedicated or devoted
- destrucción
- Destruction; the act of destroying something completely
- seres
- Beings or creatures; living entities that exist
- poseían
- Third person plural imperfect of 'poseer'; used to possess or own
- sensaciones
- Sensations; feelings or perceptions experienced through the senses
- exquisitas
- Exquisite; extremely beautiful, delicate, or refined in quality
- felicidad
- Happiness; a state of well-being and contentment
- sabiduría
- Wisdom; deep knowledge and good judgment accumulated over time
- ni
- Conjunction meaning 'nor' or 'neither'; used in negation
- terminar
- To end or finish; to bring something to a conclusion
- sed
- Thirst; strong desire for liquid or metaphorically for something
- venganza
- Vengeance or revenge; retaliation for a perceived wrong
- Miserable
- Miserable or wretched; extremely unhappy or pitiable person
- desgraciado
- Unfortunate or wretched; someone in a miserable or pitiful state
- ningún
- Adjective meaning 'no' or 'not any'; used before masculine nouns
- debería
- Third person singular conditional of 'deber'; should or ought to
- morir
- To die; to cease living or to come to an end
- tarea
- Task or assignment; a piece of work to be done
- fracasado
- Past participle of 'fracasar'; failed to achieve a goal
- movido
- Past participle of 'mover'; moved or motivated by something
- motivos
- Motives or reasons; causes behind someone's actions or decisions
- egoístas
- Selfish; adjective describing self-centered or self-serving behavior
- viciosos
- Vicious or corrupt; morally depraved or excessively indulgent
- pedí
- First person singular preterite of 'pedir'; I asked or requested
- emprendieras
- Second person singular imperfect subjunctive of 'emprender'; that you undertook
- obra
- Work or piece; a creative or important undertaking or project
- inacabada
- Unfinished; not completed or brought to a conclusion
- renuevo
- First person singular present of 'renovar'; I renew or restore
- petición
- Petition or request; a formal or earnest plea to someone
- guían
- Third person plural present of 'guiar'; they guide or lead
- razón
- Reason; the ability to think logically or a justification
- virtud
- Virtue; moral excellence or a good quality of character
- embargo
- Used in phrase 'sin embargo' meaning 'however' or 'nevertheless'
- pedirte
- Infinitive 'pedir' plus 'te'; to ask or request something of you
- renuncies
- Second person singular present subjunctive of 'renunciar'; that you renounce
- patria
- Homeland or fatherland; the country where one was born
- cumplir
- To fulfill or comply; to carry out a duty or obligation
- regresas
- Second person singular present of 'regresar'; you return or go back
- tendrás
- Second person singular future of 'tener'; you will have
- posibilidades
- Possibilities or chances; likelihood of something happening
- encontrarte
- Infinitive 'encontrar' plus 'te'; to find or meet with you
- consideración
- Consideration; careful thought or regard for something or someone
- puntos
- Points or aspects; specific items in an argument or discussion
- equilibrio
- Balance or equilibrium; a state of equal distribution or stability
- estimar
- To estimate or esteem; to judge value or hold in regard
- deberes
- Duties or obligations; responsibilities one is expected to fulfill
- dejo
- First person singular present of 'dejar'; I leave or let
- juicio
- Judgment or trial; the capacity to make considered decisions
- perturbados
- Disturbed or perturbed; mentally unsettled or emotionally troubled
- cercanía
- Nearness or proximity; closeness in space, time, or relationship
- muerte
- Death; the end of life or cessation of vital functions
- atrevo
- First person singular of 'atreverse'; I dare or venture to do
- correcto
- Correct or right; accurate or morally appropriate behavior
- pues
- Conjunction meaning 'since,' 'then,' or 'well'; various uses
- aún
- Adverb meaning 'still' or 'yet'; indicates continuation of state
- podría
- First/third person singular conditional of 'poder'; could or might
- extraviado
- Lost or misled; gone astray physically or metaphorically
- pasión
- Passion; intense emotion or strong enthusiasm for something
- viva
- Third person singular present subjunctive of 'vivir'; may he/she live
- instrumento
- Instrument or tool; a means used to achieve a purpose
- daño
- Damage or harm; injury or hurt caused to someone or something
- perturba
- Third person singular present of 'perturbar'; disturbs or troubles
- aspectos
- Aspects; particular features or elements of a situation
- aguardo
- First person singular present of 'aguardar'; I await or wait for
- momentáneamente
- Momentarily; for a very brief period or at any moment
- liberación
- Liberation or release; the act of setting free from constraint
- única
- Adjective meaning 'unique' or 'only'; one of a kind
- feliz
- Happy; feeling or showing pleasure, contentment, or joy
- disfrutado
- Past participle of 'disfrutar'; enjoyed or had pleasure from something
- varios
- Adjective meaning 'several' or 'various'; more than two items
- formas
- Forms or shapes; the visible appearance or outline of something
- queridos
- Dear or beloved; people held dear or loved dearly
- muertos
- Dead; those who have died or deceased persons
- revolotean
- Third person plural present of 'revolotear'; flutter or hover around
- ante
- Preposition meaning 'before' or 'in front of'; facing something
- apresuro
- First person singular present of 'apresurarse'; I hasten or hurry
- hacia
- Preposition meaning 'toward' or 'towards'; indicating direction
- brazos
- Arms; the upper limbs of the human body
- Busca
- Second person singular imperative of 'buscar'; seek or look for
- tranquilidad
- Tranquility or calm; a state of peace and quiet
- evita
- Second person singular imperative of 'evitar'; avoid or prevent
- ambición
- Ambition; strong desire to achieve success, power, or wealth
- aunque
- Conjunction meaning 'although' or 'even though'; introduces concession
- aparentemente
- Apparently; seeming to be true but perhaps not actually so
- inocente
- Innocent; free from guilt, harm, or negative qualities
- distinguirte
- Infinitive 'distinguir' plus 'te'; to distinguish or set yourself apart
- ciencia
- Science; systematic study of the natural world through observation
- descubrimientos
- Discoveries; findings of something new or previously unknown
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