Jane Eyre: An Autobiography — Page 2
I would suggest to such doubters certain obvious distinctions; I would remind them of certain simple truths.
Vorrei suggerire a tali dubbiosi certe distinzioni ovvie; vorrei ricordare loro certe semplici verità.
Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion. To attack the first is not to assail the last. To pluck the mask from the face of the Pharisee, is not to lift an impious hand to the Crown of Thorns.
La convenzionalità non è moralità. La saccenteria non è religione. Attaccare la prima non significa assalire la seconda. Strappare la maschera dal volto del Fariseo non significa alzare una mano empia verso la Corona di Spine.
These things and deeds are diametrically opposed: they are as distinct as is vice from virtue.
Queste cose e questi atti sono diametralmente opposti: sono tanto distinti quanto il vizio lo è dalla virtù.
Men too often confound them: they should not be confounded: appearance should not be mistaken for truth; narrow human doctrines, that only tend to elate and magnify a few, should not be substituted for the world-redeeming creed of Christ.
Gli uomini li confondono troppo spesso: non dovrebbero essere confusi: l'apparenza non dovrebbe essere scambiata per verità; dottrine umane meschine, che tendono solo ad esaltare e ingigantire pochi, non dovrebbero essere sostituite al credo redentore del mondo di Cristo.
There is—I repeat it—a difference; and it is a good, and not a bad action to mark broadly and clearly the line of separation between them.
C'è—lo ripeto—una differenza; ed è una buona azione, e non una cattiva, tracciare in modo ampio e chiaro la linea di separazione tra esse.
The world may not like to see these ideas dissevered, for it has been accustomed to blend them; finding it convenient to make external show pass for sterling worth—to let white-washed walls vouch for clean shrines.
Al mondo potrebbe non piacere vedere queste idee separate, poiché è abituato a mescolarle; trovando conveniente far passare l'apparenza esteriore per valore genuino—lasciare che muri imbiancati garantiscano per santuari puri.
It may hate him who dares to scrutinise and expose—to rase the gilding, and show base metal under it—to penetrate the sepulchre, and reveal charnel relics: but hate as it will, it is indebted to him.
Potrà odiare colui che osa scrutinare e smascherare—raschiare la doratura e mostrare il vile metallo sotto di essa—penetrare nel sepolcro e rivelare reliquie ossarie: ma per quanto possa odiarlo, gli è debitore.
Vocabulary
- Vorrei
- I would like; first-person conditional of volere.
- suggerire
- To suggest or propose an idea or course of action.
- tali
- Such; of that kind or character.
- certe
- Certain; sure or definite.
- distinzioni
- Distinctions; differences or contrasts between things.
- ovvie
- Obvious; easily perceived or understood.
- ricordare
- To remember or recall something from memory.
- loro
- Their; third-person plural possessive pronoun.
- semplici
- Simple; plain or uncomplicated in nature.
- verità
- Truth; conformity with fact or reality.
- La
- The; feminine singular definite article.
- non
- Not; negation or denial of something.
- moralità
- Morality; principles concerning right and wrong conduct.
- religione
- Religion; system of faith and worship.
- Attaccare
- To attack or assault; to strike at forcefully.
- la
- The; feminine singular definite article.
- prima
- First; foremost in order or importance.
- significa
- Means or signifies; indicates or represents.
- assalire
- To assault or attack suddenly and violently.
- seconda
- Second; following the first in order.
- Strappare
- To tear or rip away forcefully.
- maschera
- Mask; covering worn to conceal true identity.
- dal
- From the; contraction of 'da' and 'il'.
- volto
- Face; front surface of a person's head.
- del
- Of the; contraction of 'di' and 'il'.
- alzare
- To raise or lift something upward.
- una
- A or one; feminine singular indefinite article.
- mano
- Hand; body part used for grasping.
- verso
- Toward; in the direction of something.
- Corona
- Crown; wreath or circlet worn on head.
- di
- Of; indicates possession or relationship.
- Spine
- Thorns; sharp pointed projections on plants.
- Queste
- These; plural feminine demonstrative pronoun.
- cose
- Things; objects or matters of concern.
- questi
- These; plural masculine demonstrative pronoun.
- atti
- Acts or actions; deeds performed by someone.
- sono
- Are; third-person plural present of essere.
- opposti
- Opposite; facing or contrary in position.
- tanto
- As much or as many as; so.
- distinti
- Distinct; clearly different or separate from others.
- quanto
- How much or how many; as much as.
- il
- The; masculine singular definite article.
- vizio
- Vice; immoral or wicked habit or practice.
- lo
- The or it; masculine singular direct object pronoun.
- dalla
- From the; contraction of 'da' and 'la'.
- virtù
- Virtue; moral excellence and righteousness.
- Gli
- The; masculine plural definite article or pronoun.
- uomini
- Men; plural of uomo or mankind.
- li
- Them; masculine plural direct object pronoun.
- confondono
- They confuse; third-person plural of confondere.
- troppo
- Too much; excessively or more than enough.
- spesso
- Often; frequently or at short intervals.
- dovrebbero
- They should; conditional third-person plural of dovere.
- essere
- To be; fundamental verb expressing existence.
- confusi
- Confused; bewildered or mixed up together.
- apparenza
- Appearance; outward aspect or semblance of something.
- dovrebbe
- Should; conditional third-person singular of dovere.
- scambiata
- Exchanged or mistaken; confused with something else.
- per
- For; indicates purpose, direction, or exchange.
- dottrine
- Doctrines; principles or systems of belief.
- umane
- Human; relating to people or humanity.
- che
- That or which; relative pronoun.
- tendono
- They tend; third-person plural of tendere.
- solo
- Only or alone; exclusively or without others.
- ad
- To; preposition before vowels, variant of 'a'.
- esaltare
- To exalt; to praise or glorify greatly.
- pochi
- Few; small number of people or things.
- sostituite
- Substituted; replaced one thing with another.
- al
- To the; contraction of 'a' and 'il'.
- credo
- Creed; statement of religious or moral beliefs.
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