Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave — Page 2
—fortunate for the land of his birth, which he has already done so much to save and bless!—fortunate for a large circle of friends and acquaintances, whose sympathy and affection he has strongly secured by the many sufferings he has endured, by his virtuous traits of character, by his ever-abiding remembrance of those who are in bonds, as being bound with them!—fortunate for the multitudes, in various parts of our republic, whose minds he has enlightened on the subject of slavery, and who have been melted to tears by his pathos, or roused to virtuous indignation by his stirring eloquence against the enslavers of men!—fortunate for himself, as it at once brought him into the field of public usefulness, "gave the world assurance of a MAN," quickened the slumbering energies of his soul, and consecrated him to the great work of breaking the rod of the oppressor, and letting the oppressed go free!
—glücklich für das Land seiner Geburt, für das er bereits so viel getan hat, um es zu retten und zu segnen!—glücklich für einen großen Kreis von Freunden und Bekannten, deren Sympathie und Zuneigung er sich durch die vielen Leiden, die er ertragen hat, durch seine tugendhaften Charakterzüge, durch sein stets bleibendes Gedenken an jene, die in Fesseln liegen, als wäre er selbst mit ihnen gebunden, fest gesichert hat!—glücklich für die Massen in verschiedenen Teilen unserer Republik, deren Geister er über das Thema der Sklaverei erleuchtet hat und die durch sein Pathos zu Tränen gerührt oder durch seine mitreißende Beredsamkeit gegen die Versklaver der Menschen zu tugendhafter Empörung aufgeweckt wurden!—glücklich für ihn selbst, da es ihn sogleich in das Feld des öffentlichen Nutzens brachte, „der Welt die Gewissheit eines MANNES gab," die schlummernden Energien seiner Seele belebte und ihn dem großen Werk weihte, den Stab des Unterdrückers zu brechen und die Unterdrückten in die Freiheit zu entlassen!
I shall never forget his first speech at the convention—the extraordinary emotion it excited in my own mind—the powerful impression it created upon a crowded auditory, completely taken by surprise—the applause which followed from the beginning to the end of his felicitous remarks.
Ich werde seine erste Rede auf dem Kongress niemals vergessen—die außerordentliche Erregung, die sie in meinem eigenen Geist hervorrief—den mächtigen Eindruck, den sie auf ein überfülltes Publikum machte, das völlig überrascht wurde—den Beifall, der von Anfang bis Ende seiner trefflichen Bemerkungen folgte.
I think I never hated slavery so intensely as at that moment; certainly, my perception of the enormous outrage which is inflicted by it, on the godlike nature of its victims, was rendered far more clear than ever.
Ich glaube, ich habe die Sklaverei nie so intensiv gehasst wie in jenem Moment; gewiss wurde meine Wahrnehmung des ungeheuerlichen Unrechts, das durch sie der gottgleichen Natur ihrer Opfer zugefügt wird, klarer als je zuvor.
Vocabulary
- glücklich
- Happy, fortunate, blessed with good fortune.
- für
- For, intended to be given to someone.
- das
- The (neuter singular article).
- Land
- Country, land, region, or countryside area.
- seiner
- His, of him (possessive genitive masculine).
- Geburt
- Birth, origin, or place of origin.
- er
- He, masculine singular personal pronoun.
- bereits
- Already, by now, previously or earlier.
- so
- So, thus, in such a manner.
- viel
- Much, a large quantity or amount.
- getan
- Done, past participle of tun (to do).
- hat
- Has, third person singular present of haben.
- um
- Around, about, in order to accomplish.
- es
- It, neuter singular personal pronoun.
- zu
- To, infinitive particle or directional preposition.
- retten
- To rescue, save, or preserve from danger.
- und
- And, conjunction joining words or clauses.
- segnen
- To bless, invoke blessing upon someone.
- einen
- A, one (masculine singular accusative article).
- großen
- Large, great, big in size or extent.
- Kreis
- Circle, group, or social circle of people.
- von
- Of, from, belonging to or associated.
- Freunden
- Friends, plural of Freund (male friend).
- Bekannten
- Acquaintances, known people or associates.
- deren
- Whose, of whom, relative possessive pronoun.
- Sympathie
- Sympathy, fellow feeling, compassion for others.
- Zuneigung
- Affection, fondness, liking toward someone.
- sich
- Oneself, reflexive pronoun for third person.
- durch
- Through, by means of, passage.
- die
- The (feminine singular or plural article).
- vielen
- Many, numerous or large number of.
- Leiden
- Suffering, pain, hardship endured.
- ertragen
- To bear, endure, tolerate or suffer.
- seine
- His, possessive pronoun (feminine or plural).
- tugendhaften
- Virtuous, morally excellent or righteous character.
- Charakterzüge
- Character traits, distinctive personal qualities.
- sein
- To be, copula verb or auxiliary.
- stets
- Always, continually, at all times.
- bleibendes
- Lasting, enduring, permanent or durable.
- Gedenken
- Remembrance, memory, act of commemoration.
- an
- On, at, toward direction or position.
- jene
- Those, that one (plural demonstrative).
- in
- In, into, within spatial or temporal.
- Fesseln
- Chains, bonds, shackles or fetters.
- liegen
- To lie, recline, be located.
- als
- As, when, if (conjunction or particle).
- wäre
- Would be, subjunctive form of sein.
- selbst
- Self, himself, even or one's own.
- mit
- With, accompanied by, along with.
- ihnen
- Them, dative plural personal pronoun.
- gebunden
- Bound, tied, connected or united.
- fest
- Firm, solid, fixed or steadfast.
- gesichert
- Secured, assured, guaranteed or protected.
- Massen
- Masses, multitudes, large groups of people.
- verschiedenen
- Various, different, diverse or distinct.
- Teilen
- Parts, sections, regions or divisions.
- unserer
- Our, possessive pronoun (feminine or genitive).
- Republik
- Republic, form of democratic government.
- Geister
- Spirits, minds, intellectual or supernatural beings.
- über
- Over, above, about, concerning topic.
- Thema
- Theme, topic, subject matter or subject.
- der
- The (masculine singular or genitive article).
- Sklaverei
- Slavery, bondage, state of servitude.
- erleuchtet
- Illuminated, enlightened, made bright or clear.
- Pathos
- Pathos, emotional appeal or deep feeling.
- Tränen
- Tears, drops from eyes when crying.
- gerührt
- Moved, touched emotionally, stirred.
- oder
- Or, conjunction offering alternative choice.
- mitreißende
- Sweeping, compelling, stirring or captivating.
- Beredsamkeit
- Eloquence, fluent and persuasive speech.
- gegen
- Against, opposed to, contrary to.
- Menschen
- People, human beings, mankind or humans.
- tugendhafter
- Virtuous, morally excellent, righteous character.
- Empörung
- Indignation, outrage, anger at injustice.
- aufgeweckt
- Awakened, roused, stirred up or awakened.
- wurden
- Were, past tense plural of werden.
- ihn
- Him, masculine singular accusative personal pronoun.
- da
- There, then, at that point.
- sogleich
- At once, immediately, right away or forthwith.
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