Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave — Page 11
O, how accursed is that system, which entombs the godlike mind of man, defaces the divine image, reduces those who by creation were crowned with glory and honor to a level with four-footed beasts, and exalts the dealer in human flesh above all that is called God!
¡Oh, cuán maldito es ese sistema, que sepulta la mente divina del hombre, desfigura la imagen sagrada, reduce a quienes por la creación fueron coronados con gloria y honor al nivel de las bestias de cuatro patas, y exalta al comerciante en carne humana por encima de todo lo que se llama Dios!
Why should its existence be prolonged one hour?
¿Por qué debería prolongarse su existencia una hora más?
Is it not evil, only evil, and that continually?
¿No es acaso el mal, solo el mal, y eso de manera continua?
What does its presence imply but the absence of all fear of God, all regard for man, on the part of the people of the United States?
¿Qué implica su presencia sino la ausencia de todo temor a Dios, de todo respeto por el hombre, de parte del pueblo de los Estados Unidos?
Heaven speed its eternal overthrow!
¡Que el cielo acelere su eterno derrocamiento!
So profoundly ignorant of the nature of slavery are many persons, that they are stubbornly incredulous whenever they read or listen to any recital of the cruelties which are daily inflicted on its victims.
Tan profundamente ignorantes de la naturaleza de la esclavitud son muchas personas, que se muestran obstinadamente incrédulas cada vez que leen o escuchan cualquier relato de las crueldades que diariamente se infligen a sus víctimas.
They do not deny that the slaves are held as property; but that terrible fact seems to convey to their minds no idea of injustice, exposure to outrage, or savage barbarity.
No niegan que los esclavos sean considerados propiedad; pero ese terrible hecho parece no transmitir a sus mentes ninguna idea de injusticia, exposición al ultraje o barbarie salvaje.
Tell them of cruel scourgings, of mutilations and brandings, of scenes of pollution and blood, of the banishment of all light and knowledge, and they affect to be greatly indignant at such enormous exaggerations, such wholesale misstatements, such abominable libels on the character of the southern planters!
Hábleles de azotes crueles, de mutilaciones y marcas a fuego, de escenas de corrupción y sangre, del destierro de toda luz y conocimiento, y fingen indignarse enormemente ante tales exageraciones desmesuradas, tales falsedades generalizadas, tales calumnias abominables contra el carácter de los plantadores del sur.
As if all these direful outrages were not the natural results of slavery!
¡Como si todos estos terribles ultrajes no fueran los resultados naturales de la esclavitud!
Vocabulary
- cuán
- How; to what degree or extent.
- maldito
- Cursed; damned; wretched or despicable.
- es
- Is; third person singular present of ser.
- ese
- That; demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
- sistema
- System; organized set of principles or procedures.
- que
- That; which; relative pronoun or conjunction.
- sepulta
- Buries; entombs; conceals or hides something.
- mente
- Mind; intellect; capacity for thought.
- divina
- Divine; relating to God or godly.
- desfigura
- Disfigures; distorts; spoils appearance or form.
- imagen
- Image; picture; representation or likeness.
- sagrada
- Sacred; holy; deserving religious reverence.
- reduce
- Reduces; diminishes; makes smaller or less.
- quienes
- Who; which people; plural relative pronoun.
- creación
- Creation; act of creating something new.
- coronados
- Crowned; topped; adorned with a crown.
- gloria
- Glory; honor; great beauty or splendor.
- honor
- Honor; respect; high regard or esteem.
- nivel
- Level; degree; rank or stage.
- bestias
- Beasts; animals; brutal or savage creatures.
- exalta
- Exalts; praises highly; elevates in rank.
- comerciante
- Merchant; trader; person engaged in commerce.
- carne
- Flesh; meat; human body or form.
- humana
- Human; relating to people or mankind.
- encima
- Above; on top; over or upon.
- llamado
- Called; named; referred to as.
- Dios
- God; supreme being; divine deity.
- debería
- Should; ought to; would be advisable.
- prolongarse
- To prolong; extend; continue or last longer.
- existencia
- Existence; state of being; presence.
- acaso
- Perhaps; by chance; possibly or maybe.
- mal
- Evil; harm; bad or wicked.
- solo
- Only; alone; merely or just.
- manera
- Manner; way; method or means.
- continua
- Continuous; uninterrupted; continuing without stop.
- implica
- Implies; involves; suggests or entails.
- presencia
- Presence; state of being present.
- sino
- But; rather; except or only.
- ausencia
- Absence; state of not being present.
- temor
- Fear; dread; feeling of apprehension.
- respeto
- Respect; regard; consideration for someone.
- parte
- Part; portion; piece or section.
- pueblo
- People; town; community or nation.
- Estados
- States; conditions; established political territories.
- Unidos
- United; joined together; combined into one.
- cielo
- Sky; heaven; realm above earth.
- acelere
- Accelerate; hasten; speed up or quicken.
- eterno
- Eternal; everlasting; lasting forever without end.
- derrocamiento
- Overthrow; toppling; violent removal from power.
- profundamente
- Profoundly; deeply; in a thorough manner.
- ignorantes
- Ignorant; lacking knowledge; uneducated people.
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