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Leviathan — Page 4

English → It Preface Level 9/10

For in a way beset with those that contend on one side for too great Liberty, and on the other side for too much Authority, 'tis hard to passe between the points of both unwounded.

Poiché in un cammino infestato da coloro che contendono da un lato per una Libertà troppo grande, e dall'altro per una Autorità troppo grande, è difficile passare tra i punti di entrambi senza esserne feriti.

But yet, me thinks, the endeavour to advance the Civill Power, should not be by the Civill Power condemned; nor private men, by reprehending it, declare they think that Power too great.

Eppure, a mio avviso, lo sforzo di promuovere il Potere Civile non dovrebbe essere condannato dal Potere Civile stesso; né gli uomini privati, biasimandolo, dovrebbero dichiarare di ritenere quel Potere troppo grande.

Besides, I speak not of the men, but (in the Abstract) of the Seat of Power, (like to those simple and unpartiall creatures in the Roman Capitol, that with their noyse defended those within it, not because they were they, but there) offending none, I think, but those without, or such within (if there be any such) as favour them.

Inoltre, non parlo degli uomini, ma (in astratto) della Sede del Potere, (alla stregua di quelle semplici e imparziali creature nel Campidoglio Romano, che con il loro strepito difesero coloro che vi si trovavano dentro, non perché fossero loro, ma perché vi si trovavano) non offendendo nessuno, credo, se non coloro che stanno fuori, o quelli che stanno dentro (se ve ne sono) che li favoriscono.

That which perhaps may most offend, are certain Texts of Holy Scripture, alledged by me to other purpose than ordinarily they use to be by others.

Ciò che forse può offendere maggiormente sono certi Testi della Sacra Scrittura, da me citati per uno scopo diverso da quello per cui ordinariamente vengono usati dagli altri.

But I have done it with due submission, and also (in order to my Subject) necessarily; for they are the Outworks of the Enemy, from whence they impugne the Civill Power.

Ma l'ho fatto con la dovuta sottomissione, e anche (in relazione al mio Argomento) necessariamente; poiché essi sono le Opere Esterne del Nemico, da cui attaccano il Potere Civile.

Vocabulary

Poiché
Because; since; for the reason that.
in
In; inside; within; at a location.
un
A; an; one indefinite article.
cammino
Path; road; journey; way forward.
infestato
Infested; plagued; overrun with problems.
da
By; from; since; indicating agent.
coloro
Those; those people; they plural.
che
That; which; who relative pronoun.
contendono
They contend; they compete; they argue.
lato
Side; flank; aspect perspective.
per
For; in order to; through; by.
una
A; an one feminine article.
Libertà
Freedom; liberty; independence autonomy.
troppo
Too much; too many; excessively.
grande
Great; large; big; vast.
altro
Other; another; else different one.
Autorità
Authority; power; official governing body.
difficile
Difficult; hard; challenging; troublesome.
passare
To pass; to go through; to cross.
tra
Between; among; amidst in middle.
punti
Points; dots; issues; aspects.
di
Of; from; about; preposition.
entrambi
Both; both of them; each side.
senza
Without; lacking; devoid of absent.
feriti
Wounded; injured; hurt; damaged.
Eppure
Yet; nevertheless; still; however despite.
mio
My; mine; belonging to me.
avviso
Opinion; advice; notice; view perspective.
lo
It; him; the masculine article.
sforzo
Effort; attempt; endeavor; strain.
promuovere
To promote; to advance; to encourage.
il
The masculine singular article.
Potere
Power; ability; capability; might authority.
Civile
Civil; civic; relating to citizens.
non
Not; negation; no.
dovrebbe
Should; ought to; would should.
essere
To be; to exist; main verb.
condannato
Condemned; convicted; sentenced; disapproved.
dal
From the; by the contraction.
stesso
Same; self; identical; very same.
Nor; neither; and not either.
gli
Him; the; to him indirect object.
uomini
Men; people; males; human beings.
privati
Private; deprived; individuals; citizens.
dovrebbero
They should; they ought to.
dichiarare
To declare; to state; to announce.
ritenere
To consider; to hold; to think.
quel
That; that one; that which.
Inoltre
Moreover; furthermore; besides; also additionally.
parlo
I speak; I talk; I mean.
degli
Of the; of those; plural article.
ma
But; yet; however; however still.
astratto
Abstract; theoretical; not concrete.
Sede
Seat; headquarters; residence; location.
alla
To the; at the feminine.
stregua
Manner; way; fashion; style.
quelle
Those; those ones feminine plural.
semplici
Simple; plain; uncomplicated; modest.
imparziali
Impartial; fair; unbiased; neutral.
creature
Creatures; beings; characters; entities.
nel
In the; within the contraction.
Romano
Roman; of Rome; relating to Rome.
con
With; along with; accompanied by.
loro
Their; theirs; them; of them.
strepito
Noise; din; clamor; loud sound.
difesero
They defended; they protected; guarded.
vi
There; there; therein; in that.
si
Themselves; oneself; reflexive pronoun.
trovavano
They found themselves; they were located.
dentro
Inside; within; in the interior.
perché
Why; because; for what reason.
fossero
They were; subjunctive of to be.
offendendo
Offending; insulting; hurting; displeasing.
nessuno
No one; nobody; none; not anyone.
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