← Jane Eyre: An Autobiography

Jane Eyre: An Autobiography — Page 3

English → Spanish BY THE AUTHOR PREFACE Level 7/10

Ahab did not like Micaiah, because he never prophesied good concerning him, but evil; probably he liked the sycophant son of Chenaanah better; yet might Ahab have escaped a bloody death, had he but stopped his ears to flattery, and opened them to faithful counsel.

A Acab no le agradaba Micaías, porque nunca profetizaba bien acerca de él, sino mal; probablemente prefería al adulador hijo de Zedequías; sin embargo, Acab podría haber escapado de una muerte sangrienta, si tan solo hubiera cerrado sus oídos a la adulación y los hubiera abierto al consejo fiel.

There is a man in our own days whose words are not framed to tickle delicate ears: who, to my thinking, comes before the great ones of society, much as the son of Imlah came before the throned Kings of Judah and Israel; and who speaks truth as deep, with a power as prophet-like and as vital—a mien as dauntless and as daring.

Hay un hombre en nuestros propios días cuyas palabras no están formuladas para halagar oídos delicados: quien, a mi modo de ver, se presenta ante los grandes de la sociedad, de la misma manera que el hijo de Imlai se presentó ante los reyes entronados de Judá e Israel; y que habla una verdad igualmente profunda, con un poder tan profético y tan vital —un porte tan intrépido y tan audaz.

Is the satirist of "Vanity Fair" admired in high places? I cannot tell; but I think if some of those amongst whom he hurls the Greek fire of his sarcasm, and over whom he flashes the levin-brand of his denunciation, were to take his warnings in time—they or their seed might yet escape a fatal Rimoth-Gilead.

¿Es admirado el satírico de «La feria de las vanidades» en los altos círculos? No puedo saberlo; pero creo que si algunos de aquellos entre quienes lanza el fuego griego de su sarcasmo, y sobre quienes fulmina el rayo de su denuncia, tomaran sus advertencias a tiempo —ellos o su descendencia podrían aún escapar de un fatal Ramot de Galaad.

Why have I alluded to this man? I have alluded to him, Reader, because I think I see in him an intellect profounder and more unique than his contemporaries have yet recognised; because I regard him as the first social regenerator of the day—as the very master of that working corps who would restore to rectitude the warped system of things; because I think no commentator on his writings has yet found the comparison that suits him, the terms which rightly characterise his talent.

¿Por qué he aludido a este hombre? He aludido a él, lector, porque creo ver en él un intelecto más profundo y más singular de lo que sus contemporáneos han reconocido hasta ahora; porque lo considero el primer regenerador social de la época —el verdadero maestro de ese cuerpo activo que restituiría a la rectitud el torcido sistema de las cosas; porque creo que ningún comentarista de sus escritos ha encontrado aún la comparación que le conviene, los términos que caracterizan justamente su talento.

Vocabulary

agradaba
Was pleasing or agreeable to someone.
nunca
Adverb meaning 'never' indicating total negation.
profetizaba
Was prophesying or delivering divine messages repeatedly.
acerca
Preposition meaning 'about' or 'concerning' a topic.
sino
Conjunction meaning 'but rather' contrasting two ideas.
mal
Evil, harm, or something bad or wrong.
probablemente
Adverb meaning 'probably' indicating likelihood of something.
prefería
Preferred or favored one thing over another.
adulador
Flatterer, one who uses excessive praise to please.
embargo
Used in 'sin embargo' meaning 'however' or 'nevertheless'.
podría
Could, conditional form of 'poder' indicating possibility.
escapado
Escaped, past participle of escapar meaning to flee.
muerte
Death, the end of life.
sangrienta
Bloody, covered in or involving much blood.
hubiera
Past subjunctive of 'haber' used in hypothetical conditions.
cerrado
Closed, shut, past participle of cerrar.
oídos
Ears, the organs used for hearing sounds.
adulación
Flattery, excessive insincere praise given to someone.
abierto
Opened, past participle of abrir meaning to open.
consejo
Advice, counsel, or a council of advisors.
fiel
Faithful, loyal, or trustworthy in behavior.
Hay
There is or there are, impersonal form of haber.
propios
Own, one's very own, emphasizing personal possession.
cuyas
Whose, relative possessive pronoun (feminine plural).
formuladas
Formulated, crafted, or carefully prepared in wording.
halagar
To flatter or please someone with compliments.
delicados
Delicate, sensitive, or refined in taste or feeling.
modo
Mode, manner, or way of doing something.
presenta
Presents or introduces oneself or something to others.
ante
Preposition meaning 'before' or 'in front of'.
sociedad
Society, the community of people living together.
manera
Manner or way in which something is done.
presentó
Presented or introduced, third person singular preterite.
reyes
Kings, plural of rey meaning male monarchs.
entronados
Enthroned, seated on thrones as monarchs or rulers.
verdad
Truth, something that is factual and not false.
igualmente
Equally or likewise, in the same manner.
profunda
Deep or profound, having great depth or significance.
poder
Power, ability, or the verb 'to be able'.
profético
Prophetic, relating to or characteristic of prophecy.
vital
Vital, essential, or full of life and energy.
porte
Bearing, demeanor, or the way one carries oneself.
intrépido
Intrepid, fearless, bold in facing danger or challenges.
audaz
Audacious, daring, bold in action or expression.
admirado
Admired, regarded with wonder and high esteem.
satírico
Satirical, using satire to criticize or mock society.
feria
Fair, market, or festival gathering of people.
vanidades
Vanities, excessive pride or worthless pursuits in life.
círculos
Circles, referring to social groups or influential spheres.
saberlo
To know it, infinitive with attached object pronoun.
algunos
Some, a few, an unspecified number of people or things.
aquellos
Those, demonstrative pronoun referring to distant persons or things.
entre
Between or among, preposition indicating position or relation.
quienes
Whom or who, relative pronoun referring to multiple people.
lanza
Launches or hurls; also means 'lance' as a noun.
fuego
Fire, flames, or intense burning heat.
griego
Greek, relating to Greece or its people and culture.
sarcasmo
Sarcasm, cutting irony used to mock or criticize.
fulmina
Strikes down with lightning force; condemns vehemently.
rayo
Lightning bolt or ray of light striking suddenly.
denuncia
Denounces or exposes wrongdoing; a formal accusation.
tomaran
Took or would take, past subjunctive of tomar.
advertencias
Warnings, cautionary notices given to prevent harm.
descendencia
Descendants, offspring, or lineage from an ancestor.
podrían
They could, conditional third person plural of poder.
aún
Still or even, adverb emphasizing continuity or degree.
fatal
Fatal, deadly, or causing death and destruction.
aludido
Alluded to, made indirect reference to something.
lector
Reader, a person who reads books or texts.
intelecto
Intellect, the faculty of reasoning and understanding.
singular
Singular, unique, or extraordinary in character or quality.
contemporáneos
Contemporaries, people living or existing at the same time.
reconocido
Recognized, acknowledged, past participle of reconocer.
hasta
Until, up to, or even; indicating a limit or degree.
considero
I consider or regard, first person present of considerar.
regenerador
Regenerator, one who renews or restores society morally.
social
Social, relating to society and human relationships.
época
Era or epoch, a period of time with distinct features.
verdadero
True, genuine, or real as opposed to false.
maestro
Teacher or master, an expert or skilled instructor.
cuerpo
Body, a physical form or organized group of people.
activo
Active, energetic, or engaged in action or work.
restituiría
Would restore or return something to its original state.
rectitud
Rectitude, moral uprightness and correctness of behavior.
torcido
Twisted, crooked, or morally corrupt and dishonest.
sistema
System, an organized set of principles or structures.
ningún
No, none, not any (masculine singular before nouns).
comentarista
Commentator or critic who analyzes and comments on texts.
escritos
Writings, written works or documents authored by someone.
encontrado
Found, discovered, past participle of encontrar.
comparación
Comparison, the act of examining similarities and differences.
conviene
Is fitting or suitable; suits or agrees with someone.
términos
Terms, words, or expressions used in specific contexts.
caracterizan
Characterize, describe the distinctive features of someone.
justamente
Justly, exactly, or precisely in the right manner.
talento
Talent, a natural ability or skill in something.
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