Meditations — Page 14
There is the same ideal of self-control in both.
Il y a le même idéal de maîtrise de soi dans les deux.
It should be a man's task, says the _Imitation_, 'to overcome himself, and every day to be stronger than himself.'
Ce devrait être la tâche d'un homme, dit l'_Imitation_, « de se vaincre lui-même, et chaque jour d'être plus fort que lui-même ».
'In withstanding of the passions standeth very peace of heart.'
« Dans la résistance aux passions réside la vraie paix du cœur. »
'Let us set the axe to the root, that we being purged of our passions may have a peaceable mind.'
« Mettons la hache à la racine, afin que, purifiés de nos passions, nous puissions avoir l'esprit en paix. »
To this end there must be continual self-examination.
À cette fin, il doit y avoir un examen de conscience continuel.
'If thou may not continually gather thyself together, namely sometimes do it, at least once a day, the morning or the evening.
« Si tu ne peux pas te recueillir continuellement, fais-le du moins parfois, au moins une fois par jour, le matin ou le soir.
In the morning purpose, in the evening discuss the manner, what thou hast been this day, in word, work, and thought.'
Le matin, prends de bonnes résolutions ; le soir, examine ta conduite, ce que tu as été ce jour-là, en parole, en acte et en pensée. »
But while the Roman's temper is a modest self-reliance, the Christian aims at a more passive mood, humbleness and meekness, and reliance on the presence and personal friendship of God.
Mais tandis que le tempérament du Romain est une modeste confiance en soi, le Chrétien aspire à une disposition plus passive, l'humilité et la douceur, et à s'en remettre à la présence et à l'amitié personnelle de Dieu.
The Roman scrutinises his faults with severity, but without the self-contempt which makes the Christian 'vile in his own sight.'
Le Romain examine ses fautes avec sévérité, mais sans le mépris de soi qui rend le Chrétien « vil à ses propres yeux ».
The Christian, like the Roman, bids 'study to withdraw thine heart from the love of things visible'; but it is not the busy life of duty he has in mind so much as the contempt of all worldly things, and the 'cutting away of all lower delectations.'
Le Chrétien, comme le Romain, invite à « t'appliquer à détacher ton cœur de l'amour des choses visibles » ; mais ce n'est pas tant la vie active du devoir qu'il a à l'esprit que le mépris de toutes les choses mondaines et le « retranchement de toutes les délectations inférieures ».
Both rate men's praise or blame at their real worthlessness; 'Let not thy peace,' says the Christian, 'be in the mouths of men.'
Tous deux évaluent la louange ou le blâme des hommes à leur juste valeur, c'est-à-dire à rien ; « Que ta paix », dit le Chrétien, « ne réside pas dans la bouche des hommes ».
But it is to God's censure the Christian appeals, the Roman to his own soul.
Mais c'est au jugement de Dieu que le Chrétien en appelle, tandis que le Romain en appelle à sa propre âme.
Vocabulary
- y
- Adverbial pronoun meaning 'there' or 'it'
- même
- Means 'same' or 'even', used for emphasis
- idéal
- Noun or adjective meaning 'ideal' or 'perfect standard'
- maîtrise
- Mastery or control over something
- soi
- Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself'
- devrait
- Conditional of 'devoir', meaning 'should'
- tâche
- A task or duty to be accomplished
- dit
- Third person singular past of 'dire', meaning 'says/said'
- _Imitation_
- Reference to the devotional text 'Imitation of Christ'
- vaincre
- To conquer or overcome someone or something
- chaque
- Adjective meaning 'each' or 'every'
- fort
- Adjective meaning 'strong' or 'powerful'
- résistance
- The act of resisting or opposing a force
- passions
- Strong emotions or desires driving behavior
- réside
- Third person singular of 'résider', meaning 'resides/lies'
- vraie
- Feminine adjective meaning 'true' or 'real'
- paix
- Noun meaning 'peace' or 'tranquility'
- cœur
- Noun meaning 'heart', literal or figurative
- Mettons
- First person plural imperative of 'mettre', meaning 'let us put'
- hache
- Noun meaning 'axe', a cutting tool
- racine
- Noun meaning 'root' of a plant or problem
- afin
- Conjunction used with 'que' meaning 'so that'
- purifiés
- Past participle of 'purifier', meaning 'purified'
- puissions
- Subjunctive of 'pouvoir', meaning 'might be able'
- esprit
- Noun meaning 'mind', 'spirit', or 'wit'
- fin
- Noun meaning 'end' or 'purpose'
- doit
- Third person singular of 'devoir', meaning 'must/owes'
- examen
- Noun meaning 'examination' or 'review'
- conscience
- Noun meaning 'conscience' or 'awareness'
- continuel
- Adjective meaning 'continual' or 'unceasing'
- recueillir
- To collect oneself, gather thoughts, or meditate
- continuellement
- Adverb meaning 'continually' or 'without interruption'
- moins
- Adverb meaning 'less' or 'fewer'
- parfois
- Adverb meaning 'sometimes' or 'occasionally'
- fois
- Noun meaning 'time' as in 'once' or 'times'
- prends
- Second person singular imperative of 'prendre', meaning 'take'
- résolutions
- Decisions or commitments made to change behavior
- examine
- Second person singular imperative meaning 'examine'
- conduite
- Noun meaning 'conduct' or 'behavior'
- parole
- Noun meaning 'word' or 'speech'
- acte
- Noun meaning 'act' or 'action'
- pensée
- Noun meaning 'thought' or 'idea'
- tandis
- Used in 'tandis que' meaning 'while' or 'whereas'
- tempérament
- Noun meaning 'temperament' or 'disposition'
- Romain
- Adjective or noun meaning 'Roman'
- modeste
- Adjective meaning 'modest' or 'humble'
- confiance
- Noun meaning 'confidence' or 'trust'
- Chrétien
- Noun or adjective meaning 'Christian'
- aspire
- Third person singular meaning 'aspires' or 'longs for'
- disposition
- Noun meaning 'disposition' or 'arrangement'
- passive
- Feminine adjective meaning 'passive' or 'inactive'
- humilité
- Noun meaning 'humility' or 'modesty'
- douceur
- Noun meaning 'gentleness', 'sweetness', or 'mildness'
- remettre
- To hand over, surrender, or place oneself in care
- présence
- Noun meaning 'presence' or 'being present'
- amitié
- Noun meaning 'friendship'
- personnelle
- Feminine adjective meaning 'personal'
- Dieu
- Noun meaning 'God'
- fautes
- Noun meaning 'faults', 'mistakes', or 'sins'
- sévérité
- Noun meaning 'severity' or 'strictness'
- mépris
- Noun meaning 'contempt' or 'scorn'
- rend
- Third person singular of 'rendre', meaning 'makes/renders'
- vil
- Adjective meaning 'vile', 'base', or 'despicable'
- propres
- Adjective meaning 'own' or 'clean'
- yeux
- Plural noun meaning 'eyes'
- invite
- Third person singular meaning 'invites' or 'urges'
- appliquer
- To apply oneself or devote effort to something
- détacher
- To detach, separate, or free from attachment
- amour
- Noun meaning 'love'
- visibles
- Adjective meaning 'visible' or 'seen'
- tant
- Adverb meaning 'so much' or 'as long as'
- active
- Feminine adjective meaning 'active' or 'busy'
- devoir
- Noun or infinitive meaning 'duty' or 'must'
- mondaines
- Feminine plural adjective meaning 'worldly' or 'secular'
- retranchement
- Noun meaning 'cutting away' or 'renunciation'
- délectations
- Plural noun meaning 'delights' or 'pleasures'
- inférieures
- Feminine plural adjective meaning 'inferior' or 'lower'
- évaluent
- Third person plural meaning 'evaluate' or 'assess'
- louange
- Noun meaning 'praise' or 'commendation'
- blâme
- Noun meaning 'blame' or 'criticism'
- juste
- Adjective meaning 'just', 'fair', or 'accurate'
- valeur
- Noun meaning 'value' or 'worth'
- rien
- Pronoun meaning 'nothing' or 'not anything'
- bouche
- Noun meaning 'mouth'
- jugement
- Noun meaning 'judgment' or 'opinion'
- appelle
- Third person singular of 'appeler', meaning 'calls'
- propre
- Adjective meaning 'own' or 'clean'
- âme
- Noun meaning 'soul' or 'spirit'
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