← Jane Eyre: An Autobiography

Jane Eyre: An Autobiography — Page 3

English → It 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.

Acab non amava Micaia, perché questi non gli aveva mai profetizzato cose buone, ma solo cose cattive; probabilmente preferiva il figlio adulatore di Cenaana; eppure Acab avrebbe potuto sfuggire a una morte cruenta, se solo avesse chiuso le orecchie alla lusinga e le avesse aperte al consiglio fedele.

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.

Vi è un uomo ai nostri giorni le cui parole non sono costruite per solleticare orecchie delicate: che, a mio avviso, si presenta dinanzi ai grandi della società proprio come il figlio di Imla si presentò dinanzi ai re in trono di Giuda e d'Israele; e che pronuncia verità altrettanto profonde, con una forza altrettanto profetica e vitale — un portamento altrettanto impavido e ardito.

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.

Il satirico di «Vanity Fair» è ammirato negli alti ranghi? Non saprei dirlo; ma penso che se alcuni di coloro tra cui scaglia il fuoco greco del suo sarcasmo, e sui quali fa balenare il fulmine della sua denuncia, prendessero in tempo i suoi avvertimenti — essi o i loro discendenti potrebbero ancora sfuggire a una fatale Ramot-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.

Perché ho fatto allusione a quest'uomo? Gli ho fatto allusione, Lettore, perché ritengo di scorgere in lui un intelletto più profondo e più unico di quanto i suoi contemporanei abbiano ancora riconosciuto; perché lo considero il primo rigeneratore sociale del nostro tempo — il vero maestro di quella schiera operosa che vorrebbe ricondurre alla rettitudine il sistema distorto delle cose; perché penso che nessun commentatore dei suoi scritti abbia ancora trovato il paragone che gli si addice, i termini che caratterizzano giustamente il suo talento.

Vocabulary

non
negation word meaning 'not'
amava
he/she loved, imperfect tense of amare
perché
because, or why; causal/interrogative conjunction
questi
these, demonstrative pronoun masculine plural
gli
to him, indirect object pronoun masculine
aveva
he/she had, imperfect tense of avere
mai
never, or ever; negative/emphatic adverb
profetizzato
prophesied, past participle of profetizzare
cose
things, plural of cosa
buone
good, feminine plural adjective
ma
but, adversative conjunction
solo
only, or alone; adverb or adjective
cattive
bad, wicked; feminine plural adjective
probabilmente
probably, adverb of probability
preferiva
he/she preferred, imperfect tense of preferire
il
the, masculine singular definite article
figlio
son, male child
adulatore
flatterer, one who uses excessive flattery
di
of, from; very common Italian preposition
eppure
and yet, nevertheless; concessive conjunction
avrebbe
he/she would have, conditional of avere
potuto
been able, past participle of potere
sfuggire
to escape, to evade something or someone
a
to, at; common Italian preposition
una
a, an; feminine singular indefinite article
morte
death, end of life
cruenta
bloody, violent; feminine adjective describing death
se
if, conditional conjunction
avesse
had, imperfect subjunctive of avere
chiuso
closed, shut; past participle of chiudere
le
the, feminine plural definite article
orecchie
ears, plural of orecchio/orecchia
alla
to the, contraction of a and la
lusinga
flattery, allure; tempting or soothing deception
e
and, coordinating conjunction
aperte
open, feminine plural past participle of aprire
al
to the, contraction of a and il
consiglio
advice, counsel; also council or board
fedele
faithful, loyal, trustworthy
Vi
there is, or to you; pronoun/adverb
è
is, third person singular of essere
un
a, an; masculine singular indefinite article
uomo
man, adult male human being
ai
to the, contraction of a and i
nostri
our, masculine plural possessive adjective
giorni
days, plural of giorno
cui
whose, whom; relative pronoun
parole
words, plural of parola
sono
are, first or third person plural of essere
costruite
built, constructed; feminine plural past participle
per
for, in order to; common Italian preposition
solleticare
to tickle, to flatter or stimulate pleasantly
delicate
delicate, sensitive; feminine plural adjective
che
that, which, who; very common conjunction/pronoun
mio
my, masculine singular possessive adjective
avviso
opinion, notice; in my opinion (a mio avviso)
si
himself/herself/itself; reflexive pronoun
presenta
presents, introduces himself; third person singular
dinanzi
before, in front of; formal preposition
grandi
great ones, important people; plural of grande
della
of the, feminine singular contraction
società
society, company, social organization
proprio
exactly, just, own; emphatic adverb or adjective
come
as, how, like; conjunction or adverb
presentò
presented, introduced; third person singular past
re
king, monarch
in
in, into; common Italian preposition
trono
throne, seat of a monarch
d'
of, elided form of di before vowel
pronuncia
pronounces, utters; third person singular present
verità
truth, truthfulness
altrettanto
just as much, equally; adverb of degree
profonde
deep, profound; feminine plural adjective
con
with, Italian preposition
forza
force, strength, power
profetica
prophetic, relating to prophecy; feminine adjective
vitale
vital, full of life and energy
portamento
bearing, posture, manner of carrying oneself
impavido
fearless, undaunted, bold
ardito
daring, bold, audacious
Il
the, masculine singular definite article
satirico
satirist, satirical writer or person
ammirato
admired, respected; past participle of ammirare
negli
in the, contraction of in and gli
alti
high, tall; masculine plural adjective
ranghi
ranks, social or military levels
Non
not, negation adverb
saprei
I would know, conditional of sapere
dirlo
to say it, infinitive dire with clitic lo
penso
I think, first person singular of pensare
alcuni
some, a few; masculine plural indefinite adjective
coloro
those people, third person plural pronoun
tra
among, between; Italian preposition
scaglia
hurls, throws; or scale/flake; present tense
fuoco
fire, flame
greco
Greek, referring to Greek fire or origin
del
of the, masculine singular contraction
suo
his, her, its; possessive adjective
sarcasmo
sarcasm, sharp cutting ironic wit
sui
on the, contraction of su and i
quali
which, whom; relative pronoun plural
fa
makes, does; third person singular of fare
balenare
to flash, to glint; like lightning
fulmine
lightning bolt, thunderbolt
sua
his, her, its; feminine possessive adjective
denuncia
denunciation, accusation, formal complaint
prendessero
they took, imperfect subjunctive of prendere
tempo
time, weather; common Italian noun
i
the, masculine plural definite article
suoi
his, her, its; masculine plural possessive
avvertimenti
warnings, cautions; plural of avvertimento
essi
they, third person masculine plural pronoun
o
or, disjunctive conjunction
loro
their, they; possessive or personal pronoun
discendenti
descendants, offspring of later generations
potrebbero
they could, conditional of potere
ancora
still, yet, again; common Italian adverb
fatale
fatal, deadly, fateful
Perché
why, or because; interrogative/causal conjunction
ho
I have, first person singular of avere
fatto
made, done; past participle of fare
allusione
allusion, indirect reference to something
quest'
this, elided form of questo/questa
Gli
to him, or the; indirect pronoun or article
Lettore
reader, one who reads
ritengo
I believe, I consider; first person of ritenere
scorgere
to discern, to perceive, to make out
lui
him, he; third person masculine pronoun
intelletto
intellect, intelligence, mental capacity
più
more, most; common Italian comparative adverb
profondo
deep, profound; masculine singular adjective
unico
unique, only, one of a kind
quanto
how much, as much as; interrogative or relative
contemporanei
contemporaries, people living in the same era
abbiano
they have, present subjunctive of avere
riconosciuto
recognized, acknowledged; past participle of riconoscere
lo
him, it; masculine singular direct object pronoun
considero
I consider, I regard; first person of considerare
primo
first, foremost; masculine singular ordinal adjective
rigeneratore
regenerator, one who renews or reforms society
sociale
social, relating to society
nostro
our, masculine singular possessive adjective
vero
true, real, genuine
maestro
master, teacher, expert in a field
quella
that, feminine singular demonstrative adjective
schiera
group, band, troop of people
operosa
industrious, hardworking; feminine adjective
vorrebbe
would like, would want; conditional of volere
ricondurre
to bring back, to lead back to something
rettitudine
righteousness, rectitude, moral uprightness
sistema
system, organized structure or method
distorto
distorted, twisted, warped
delle
of the, feminine plural contraction
nessun
no, not any; masculine singular negative adjective
commentatore
commentator, one who analyzes or comments on texts
dei
of the, masculine plural contraction
scritti
writings, texts; plural of scritto
abbia
has, present subjunctive of avere
trovato
found, discovered; past participle of trovare
paragone
comparison, analogy, parallel
addice
suits, befits; third person singular of addirsi
termini
terms, words used to describe something
caratterizzano
characterize, define; third person plural present
giustamente
rightly, justly, correctly
talento
talent, natural ability or gift
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