Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave — Page 8
" Admitting this to have been an extraordinary case of mental deterioration, it proves at least that the white slave can sink as low in the scale of humanity as the black one.
"Admitiendo que este ha sido un caso extraordinario de deterioro mental, demuestra al menos que el esclavo blanco puede descender tan bajo en la escala de la humanidad como el negro.
_Mr. Douglass_ has very properly chosen to write his own Narrative, in his own style, and according to the best of his ability, rather than to employ some one else.
El señor Douglass ha optado, con muy buen criterio, por escribir su propia Narrativa, en su propio estilo y según lo mejor de su capacidad, en lugar de emplear a otra persona.
It is, therefore, entirely his own production; and, considering how long and dark was the career he had to run as a slave,—how few have been his opportunities to improve his mind since he broke his iron fetters,—it is, in my judgment, highly creditable to his head and heart.
Es, por tanto, enteramente su propia obra; y, considerando cuán larga y oscura fue la trayectoria que tuvo que recorrer como esclavo, y cuán escasas han sido sus oportunidades de cultivar su mente desde que rompió sus férreos grilletes, es, a mi juicio, muy digna de crédito para su cabeza y su corazón.
He who can peruse it without a tearful eye, a heaving breast, an afflicted spirit,—without being filled with an unutterable abhorrence of slavery and all its abettors, and animated with a determination to seek the immediate overthrow of that execrable system,—without trembling for the fate of this country in the hands of a righteous God, who is ever on the side of the oppressed, and whose arm is not shortened that it cannot save,—must have a flinty heart, and be qualified to act the part of a trafficker "in slaves and the souls of men.
Quien pueda leerlo sin un ojo lloroso, un pecho agitado, un espíritu afligido, sin sentirse lleno de un aborrecimiento indecible por la esclavitud y todos sus cómplices, y animado por la determinación de buscar el derrocamiento inmediato de ese execrable sistema, sin temblar por el destino de este país en manos de un Dios justo, que está siempre del lado de los oprimidos y cuyo brazo no está acortado para que no pueda salvar, debe tener un corazón de piedra y estar capacitado para desempeñar el papel de traficante "de esclavos y de las almas de los hombres.
Vocabulary
- Admitiendo
- Acknowledging or conceding a point as true
- que
- That; conjunction connecting clauses
- este
- This; demonstrative pronoun or adjective
- ha
- Has; third-person singular present of haber
- sido
- Been; past participle of ser
- un
- A or an; indefinite article masculine singular
- caso
- Case; an instance or situation
- extraordinario
- Extraordinary; remarkable or exceptional beyond the norm
- de
- Of or from; common Spanish preposition
- deterioro
- Deterioration; a decline in quality or condition
- mental
- Mental; relating to the mind
- demuestra
- Demonstrates; shows or proves something clearly
- al
- To the; contraction of a and el
- menos
- Less or at least; comparative or qualifier
- el
- The; definite article masculine singular
- esclavo
- Slave; a person held in bondage
- blanco
- White; color or a white person
- puede
- Can or is able to; present tense poder
- descender
- To descend or sink to a lower level
- tan
- So or as; used in comparisons
- bajo
- Low; beneath a certain level or position
- en
- In or on; common Spanish preposition
- la
- The; definite article feminine singular
- escala
- Scale; a graded series or ranking
- humanidad
- Humanity; the human race or human nature
- como
- As or like; used in comparisons
- negro
- Black; color or historical term for Black person
- El
- The; definite article masculine singular
- señor
- Mister or sir; respectful title for a man
- optado
- Opted or chosen; past participle of optar
- con
- With; preposition indicating accompaniment
- muy
- Very; intensifier used before adjectives
- buen
- Good; shortened form of bueno before nouns
- criterio
- Criterion or judgment; standard for making decisions
- por
- For or by; multipurpose Spanish preposition
- escribir
- To write; to compose text
- su
- His, her, or their; possessive adjective
- propia
- Own; belonging to oneself
- Narrativa
- Narrative; a story or written account
- propio
- Own; one's own, characteristic or proper
- estilo
- Style; a distinctive manner of expression
- y
- And; coordinating conjunction
- según
- According to or as; preposition of reference
- lo
- The or it; neuter definite article or pronoun
- mejor
- Better or best; comparative of bueno
- capacidad
- Capacity or ability; one's power to do something
- lugar
- Place or instead of; location or substitution
- emplear
- To employ or use; to hire or make use of
- a
- To or at; common Spanish preposition
- otra
- Other or another; feminine form of otro
- persona
- Person; an individual human being
- Es
- Is; third-person singular present of ser
- tanto
- So much or as much; degree or quantity
- enteramente
- Entirely or completely; in a whole manner
- obra
- Work; a literary, artistic, or creative piece
- considerando
- Considering; taking something into account
- cuán
- How; used in exclamations or questions of degree
- larga
- Long; extended in length or duration
- oscura
- Dark or obscure; lacking light or clarity
- fue
- Was or went; preterite of ser or ir
- trayectoria
- Trajectory or path; course traveled over time
- tuvo
- Had; third-person singular preterite of tener
- recorrer
- To travel or traverse; to go through a path
- escasas
- Scarce or few; limited in number or amount
- han
- Have; third-person plural present of haber
- sus
- His, her, their; plural possessive adjective
- oportunidades
- Opportunities; favorable circumstances for advancement
- cultivar
- To cultivate or develop; to improve through effort
- mente
- Mind; the intellectual or cognitive faculty
- desde
- Since or from; indicates starting point in time
- rompió
- Broke; third-person singular preterite of romper
- férreos
- Iron or unyielding; made of iron, very rigid
- grilletes
- Shackles or fetters; metal restraints for ankles
- es
- Is; third-person singular present of ser
- mi
- My; first-person singular possessive adjective
- juicio
- Judgment or opinion; one's assessment of something
- digna
- Worthy or dignified; deserving of respect
- crédito
- Credit; recognition or trust given to someone
- para
- For or in order to; purpose-indicating preposition
- cabeza
- Head; the upper part of the body
- corazón
- Heart; the organ or center of emotion
- Quien
- Who or whoever; relative or interrogative pronoun
- pueda
- Can or may; present subjunctive of poder
- leerlo
- To read it; infinitive with attached object pronoun
- sin
- Without; preposition indicating absence
- ojo
- Eye; the organ of sight
- lloroso
- Tearful or weeping; full of tears
- pecho
- Chest; the front part of the torso
- agitado
- Agitated or stirred; in a state of emotional unrest
- espíritu
- Spirit; the inner essence or soul of a person
- afligido
- Afflicted or grieved; suffering emotional distress
- sentirse
- To feel; reflexive verb for experiencing emotions
- lleno
- Full; filled completely with something
- aborrecimiento
- Abhorrence or loathing; intense hatred or disgust
- indecible
- Unspeakable or inexpressible; beyond words to describe
- esclavitud
- Slavery; the system of owning human beings
- todos
- All or everyone; referring to the entirety
- cómplices
- Accomplices; those who aid in wrongdoing
- animado
- Animated or motivated; filled with energy or resolve
- determinación
- Determination; firm resolve to achieve a goal
- buscar
- To seek or look for something
- derrocamiento
- Overthrow; the act of bringing down a system
- inmediato
- Immediate; happening without delay
- ese
- That; demonstrative adjective masculine singular
- execrable
- Execrable or detestable; extremely bad or evil
- sistema
- System; an organized set of principles or practices
- temblar
- To tremble or shake; to shudder with fear
- destino
- Destiny or fate; the predetermined course of events
- país
- Country; a nation or land
- manos
- Hands; the end parts of the arms
- Dios
- God; the supreme divine being
- justo
- Just or righteous; fair and morally correct
- está
- Is; third-person singular present of estar
- siempre
- Always; at all times without exception
- del
- Of the; contraction of de and el
- lado
- Side; a lateral position or direction
- los
- The; definite article masculine plural
- oprimidos
- Oppressed; those subjected to cruel or unjust authority
- cuyo
- Whose; relative possessive pronoun
- brazo
- Arm; the upper limb of the human body
- no
- No or not; negation particle
- acortado
- Shortened; made shorter or reduced in length
- salvar
- To save or rescue; to deliver from danger
- debe
- Must or should; expresses obligation or duty
- tener
- To have; to possess or hold something
- piedra
- Stone; a hard solid mineral material
- estar
- To be; indicates state or condition
- capacitado
- Qualified or capable; having the necessary skills
- desempeñar
- To perform or carry out a role or duty
- papel
- Role or paper; a part played or a sheet
- traficante
- Trafficker or dealer; one who trades illicitly
- esclavos
- Slaves; plural of esclavo, persons in bondage
- las
- The; definite article feminine plural
- almas
- Souls; the spiritual or immaterial part of beings
- hombres
- Men or people; adult male human beings
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