Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave — Page 14
"—Let it never be forgotten, that no slaveholder or overseer can be convicted of any outrage perpetrated on the person of a slave, however diabolical it may be, on the testimony of colored witnesses, whether bond or free.
"—Que nunca se olvide que ningún esclavista o capataz puede ser condenado por ningún ultraje perpetrado en la persona de un esclavo, por diabólico que sea, sobre la base del testimonio de testigos de color, ya sean esclavos o libres.
By the slave code, they are adjudged to be as incompetent to testify against a white man, as though they were indeed a part of the brute creation.
Según el código de esclavitud, se les considera tan incapaces de testificar contra un hombre blanco como si fueran en verdad parte de la creación bruta.
Hence, there is no legal protection in fact, whatever there may be in form, for the slave population; and any amount of cruelty may be inflicted on them with impunity.
Por lo tanto, no existe protección legal de hecho, cualquiera que sea la que pueda existir en forma, para la población esclava; y cualquier grado de crueldad puede infligírseles con impunidad.
Is it possible for the human mind to conceive of a more horrible state of society?
¿Es posible que la mente humana conciba un estado de sociedad más horrible?
The effect of a religious profession on the conduct of southern masters is vividly described in the following Narrative, and shown to be any thing but salutary.
El efecto de una profesión religiosa en la conducta de los amos sureños se describe vívidamente en la siguiente Narración, y se demuestra que es cualquier cosa menos saludable.
In the nature of the case, it must be in the highest degree pernicious.
Por la naturaleza del asunto, debe ser en el más alto grado pernicioso.
The testimony of _Mr. Douglass_, on this point, is sustained by a cloud of witnesses, whose veracity is unimpeachable.
El testimonio del _Sr. Douglass_, en este punto, está respaldado por una multitud de testigos cuya veracidad es intachable.
"A slaveholder's profession of Christianity is a palpable imposture.
"La profesión de cristianismo de un esclavista es una impostura palpable.
He is a felon of the highest grade.
Es un delincuente del más alto grado.
He is a man-stealer.
Es un ladrón de hombres.
It is of no importance what you put in the other scale."
No tiene importancia lo que pongas en el otro platillo de la balanza."
Reader! are you with the man-stealers in sympathy and purpose, or on the side of their down-trodden victims?
¡Lector! ¿estás del lado de los ladrones de hombres en simpatía y propósito, o del lado de sus oprimidas víctimas?
If with the former, then are you the foe of God and man.
Si estás con los primeros, entonces eres el enemigo de Dios y del hombre.
Vocabulary
- Que
- Conjunction meaning 'that' or 'which' in Spanish.
- nunca
- Adverb meaning 'never' or 'not ever'.
- se
- Reflexive pronoun used with reflexive verbs.
- olvide
- Subjunctive form of 'olvidar', meaning 'to forget'.
- ningún
- Adjective meaning 'no' or 'not any' before nouns.
- capataz
- Noun meaning 'foreman' or overseer of workers.
- puede
- Third-person singular present of 'poder', meaning 'can'.
- ser
- Infinitive verb meaning 'to be' permanently.
- condenado
- Past participle meaning 'condemned' or 'convicted'.
- por
- Preposition meaning 'for', 'by', or 'because of'.
- ultraje
- Noun meaning 'outrage' or 'grave offense committed'.
- persona
- Noun meaning 'person' or individual human being.
- esclavo
- Noun meaning 'slave', a person owned by another.
- diabólico
- Adjective meaning 'diabolical' or extremely wicked, evil.
- base
- Noun meaning 'basis' or foundational support for something.
- testimonio
- Noun meaning 'testimony' or formal statement given as evidence.
- testigos
- Noun meaning 'witnesses', people who observe events.
- color
- Noun meaning 'color', here referring to skin color.
- esclavos
- Plural noun meaning 'slaves', people held in bondage.
- libres
- Adjective meaning 'free', not enslaved or restricted.
- Según
- Preposition meaning 'according to' a source or authority.
- código
- Noun meaning 'code', a set of laws or rules.
- esclavitud
- Noun meaning 'slavery', the condition of being enslaved.
- considera
- Third-person singular meaning 'considers' or regards as such.
- incapaces
- Adjective meaning 'incapable' or unable to do something.
- testificar
- Infinitive meaning 'to testify' or give formal witness.
- hombre
- Noun meaning 'man' or adult male human being.
- blanco
- Adjective meaning 'white', referring here to race.
- verdad
- Noun meaning 'truth' or factual, accurate statement.
- parte
- Noun meaning 'part' or portion of a whole.
- creación
- Noun meaning 'creation', all things made or created.
- bruta
- Adjective meaning 'brute' or brutish, animal-like.
- existe
- Verb meaning 'exists', to have real being or existence.
- protección
- Noun meaning 'protection' or safeguarding from harm.
- legal
- Adjective meaning 'legal', relating to law or lawful.
- cualquiera
- Pronoun meaning 'anyone' or 'whatever', any one thing.
- forma
- Noun meaning 'form' or manner, way of doing something.
- población
- Noun meaning 'population' or group of people in place.
- grado
- Noun meaning 'degree' or level of intensity or measure.
- crueldad
- Noun meaning 'cruelty', willful infliction of pain.
- impunidad
- Noun meaning 'impunity', exemption from punishment or consequence.
- posible
- Adjective meaning 'possible', capable of happening or existing.
- mente
- Noun meaning 'mind', the human faculty of thinking.
- humana
- Adjective meaning 'human', relating to humankind.
- conciba
- Subjunctive of 'concebir', meaning 'to conceive' or imagine.
- estado
- Noun meaning 'state' or condition of affairs.
- sociedad
- Noun meaning 'society', organized community of people.
- horrible
- Adjective meaning 'horrible' or extremely bad, dreadful.
- efecto
- Noun meaning 'effect' or result of a cause.
- profesión
- Noun meaning 'profession' or declaration of belief.
- religiosa
- Adjective meaning 'religious', relating to faith or religion.
- conducta
- Noun meaning 'conduct' or behavior of a person.
- amos
- Noun meaning 'masters' or owners, those with authority.
- describe
- Verb meaning 'describes', to give detailed account of.
- vívidamente
- Adverb meaning 'vividly', in a clear and striking manner.
- siguiente
- Adjective meaning 'following' or next in sequence.
- Narración
- Noun meaning 'narrative' or account of events told.
- demuestra
- Verb meaning 'demonstrates' or shows clearly with evidence.
- cosa
- Noun meaning 'thing', a general object or matter.
- menos
- Adverb meaning 'less' or fewer in degree or amount.
- saludable
- Adjective meaning 'healthy' or promoting good health.
- naturaleza
- Noun meaning 'nature', the inherent character of something.
- asunto
- Noun meaning 'matter' or subject of concern, affair.
- debe
- Verb meaning 'must' or 'should', expressing obligation.
- alto
- Adjective meaning 'high' or tall; here, greatly significant.
- pernicioso
- Adjective meaning 'pernicious', causing gradual harmful damage.
- punto
- Noun meaning 'point' or specific matter under discussion.
- respaldado
- Past participle meaning 'supported' or backed by evidence.
- multitud
- Noun meaning 'multitude' or large number of people.
- veracidad
- Noun meaning 'veracity' or quality of being truthful.
- intachable
- Adjective meaning 'impeccable' or beyond reproach, flawless.
- cristianismo
- Noun meaning 'Christianity', the religion based on Christ.
- palpable
- Adjective meaning 'palpable', easily perceived or obvious.
- delincuente
- Noun meaning 'delinquent' or criminal, one who offends law.
- ladrón
- Noun meaning 'thief', a person who steals.
- hombres
- Plural noun meaning 'men' or human beings generally.
- importancia
- Noun meaning 'importance' or significance of something.
- pongas
- Subjunctive of 'poner', meaning 'to put' or place.
- platillo
- Noun meaning 'scale pan' or small dish, plate.
- balanza
- Noun meaning 'scale' or balance used for weighing.
- Lector
- Noun meaning 'reader', a person who reads text.
- estás
- Second-person singular of 'estar', meaning 'you are'.
- lado
- Noun meaning 'side' or position relative to something.
- ladrones
- Plural noun meaning 'thieves', people who steal.
- simpatía
- Noun meaning 'sympathy' or compassionate feeling for others.
- propósito
- Noun meaning 'purpose' or intention behind an action.
- oprimidas
- Adjective meaning 'oppressed', subjected to unjust treatment.
- víctimas
- Noun meaning 'victims', those harmed by others' actions.
- primeros
- Adjective meaning 'first' or foremost among a group.
- entonces
- Adverb meaning 'then' or in that case, therefore.
- eres
- Second-person singular of 'ser', meaning 'you are'.
- enemigo
- Noun meaning 'enemy', one who is hostile or opposed.
- Dios
- Noun meaning 'God', the supreme divine being.
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