Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave — Page 9
" I am confident that it is essentially true in all its statements; that nothing has been set down in malice, nothing exaggerated, nothing drawn from the imagination; that it comes short of the reality, rather than overstates a single fact in regard to _slavery as it is_.
« Je suis convaincu qu'il est essentiellement vrai dans toutes ses affirmations ; que rien n'a été consigné par malveillance, rien d'exagéré, rien tiré de l'imagination ; qu'il est en deçà de la réalité, plutôt qu'il n'exagère un seul fait concernant _l'esclavage tel qu'il est_.
The experience of _Frederick Douglass_, as a slave, was not a peculiar one; his lot was not especially a hard one; his case may be regarded as a very fair specimen of the treatment of slaves in Maryland, in which State it is conceded that they are better fed and less cruelly treated than in Georgia, Alabama, or Louisiana.
L'expérience de _Frederick Douglass_, en tant qu'esclave, n'était pas une expérience singulière ; son sort n'était pas particulièrement difficile ; son cas peut être considéré comme un exemple très représentatif du traitement des esclaves dans le Maryland, État dans lequel il est reconnu qu'ils sont mieux nourris et traités avec moins de cruauté qu'en Géorgie, en Alabama ou en Louisiane.
Many have suffered incomparably more, while very few on the plantations have suffered less, than himself.
Beaucoup ont souffert incomparablement davantage, tandis que très peu, dans les plantations, ont souffert moins que lui.
Yet how deplorable was his situation! what terrible chastisements were inflicted upon his person! what still more shocking outrages were perpetrated upon his mind! with all his noble powers and sublime aspirations, how like a brute was he treated, even by those professing to have the same mind in them that was in Christ Jesus! to what dreadful liabilities was he continually subjected! how destitute of friendly counsel and aid, even in his greatest extremities! how heavy was the midnight of woe which shrouded in blackness the last ray of hope, and filled the future with terror and gloom!
Et pourtant, que sa situation était déplorable ! quels terribles châtiments furent infligés à sa personne ! quels outrages encore plus révoltants furent perpétrés contre son esprit ! avec toutes ses nobles facultés et ses sublimes aspirations, comme il fut traité en bête, même par ceux qui prétendaient avoir en eux le même esprit qui était dans le Christ Jésus ! à quelles redoutables épreuves fut-il continuellement soumis ! comme il était dépourvu de conseils amicaux et de soutien, même dans ses moments les plus extrêmes ! comme elle était lourde, cette nuit profonde de malheur qui enveloppait dans les ténèbres le dernier rayon d'espoir, et remplissait l'avenir de terreur et d'obscurité !
Vocabulary
- Je
- First person singular pronoun meaning 'I'.
- suis
- First person singular form of 'être' (to be).
- convaincu
- Convinced or persuaded that something is true.
- qu'
- Contraction of 'que' used before vowel sounds.
- il
- Third person singular masculine pronoun meaning 'he'.
- est
- Third person singular form of 'être' (to be).
- essentiellement
- Essentially or fundamentally true in nature.
- vrai
- True or correct; corresponding to reality.
- dans
- Preposition meaning 'in' or 'within'.
- toutes
- Feminine plural form of 'all' or 'every'.
- ses
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
- affirmations
- Statements or assertions declared to be true.
- que
- Conjunction meaning 'that' linking clauses together.
- rien
- Nothing; not anything at all.
- n'
- Contraction of negation particle 'ne' before vowels.
- a
- Third person singular of 'avoir' (to have).
- été
- Past participle of 'être', meaning 'been'.
- consigné
- Recorded or written down for official purposes.
- par
- Preposition meaning 'by', 'through', or 'per'.
- malveillance
- Malice or ill will toward another person.
- d'
- Contraction of 'de' used before vowel sounds.
- exagéré
- Exaggerated or overstated beyond actual facts.
- tiré
- Drawn or derived from a particular source.
- de
- Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'.
- l'
- Contraction of 'le' or 'la' before vowels.
- imagination
- Faculty of forming mental images or concepts.
- en
- Preposition meaning 'in', 'on', or 'while'.
- la
- Feminine definite article meaning 'the'.
- réalité
- Reality; the actual state of things.
- plutôt
- Rather or instead; indicating a preference or correction.
- exagère
- Exaggerates or overstates a fact or situation.
- un
- Masculine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'.
- seul
- Alone, only, or single; without others.
- fait
- A fact; something known to be true.
- concernant
- Concerning or regarding a particular subject.
- esclavage
- Slavery; the system of owning human beings.
- tel
- Such; of that kind or nature.
- L'
- Contraction of 'le' or 'la' before a vowel.
- expérience
- Experience; personal involvement or lived events.
- tant
- So much; as long as or while.
- esclave
- A slave; a person owned by another.
- était
- Imperfect tense of 'être'; was or used to be.
- pas
- Negation particle meaning 'not' in French.
- une
- Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'.
- singulière
- Singular or exceptional; standing apart from others.
- son
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
- sort
- Fate or lot; one's assigned circumstances in life.
- particulièrement
- Particularly or especially; in a notable degree.
- difficile
- Difficult or hard; requiring effort to endure.
- cas
- Case or instance; a specific example or situation.
- peut
- Third person singular of 'pouvoir' meaning 'can'.
- être
- To be; the infinitive of the verb 'be'.
- considéré
- Considered or regarded as something specific.
- comme
- Like or as; used for comparison or role.
- exemple
- An example or model illustrating a general principle.
- très
- Very; intensifying adverb used before adjectives.
- représentatif
- Representative or typical of a larger group.
- du
- Contraction of 'de le' meaning 'of the'.
- traitement
- Treatment; the manner of dealing with someone.
- des
- Contraction of 'de les', meaning 'of the' (plural).
- esclaves
- Slaves; people held in bondage by others.
- le
- Masculine definite article meaning 'the'.
- État
- State; a political or administrative territory.
- lequel
- Which; relative pronoun referring to a previously mentioned noun.
- reconnu
- Recognized or acknowledged as being a certain way.
- ils
- Third person plural masculine pronoun meaning 'they'.
- sont
- Third person plural of 'être' meaning 'are'.
- mieux
- Better; comparative adverb of 'bien' (well).
- nourris
- Fed or nourished; provided with food.
- et
- Conjunction meaning 'and', linking words or clauses.
- traités
- Treated; dealt with in a specific manner.
- avec
- Preposition meaning 'with', indicating accompaniment.
- moins
- Less; comparative adverb indicating a smaller degree.
- cruauté
- Cruelty; disposition to inflict pain on others.
- ou
- Conjunction meaning 'or', indicating an alternative.
- Beaucoup
- Many or a lot; indicating a large quantity.
- ont
- Third person plural of 'avoir' meaning 'have'.
- souffert
- Suffered; past participle of 'souffrir' (to suffer).
- incomparablement
- Incomparably; to a degree beyond any comparison.
- davantage
- More; to a greater extent or degree.
- tandis
- While or whereas; used in 'tandis que' construction.
- peu
- Few or little; indicating a small amount.
- les
- Plural definite article meaning 'the'.
- plantations
- Large agricultural estates worked by enslaved laborers.
- lui
- Him or to him; third person singular pronoun.
- Et
- Conjunction meaning 'and', linking ideas or clauses.
- pourtant
- Yet or nevertheless; expressing contrast or surprise.
- sa
- Feminine possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
- situation
- Situation or circumstances someone finds themselves in.
- déplorable
- Deplorable; shockingly bad or deserving of condemnation.
- quels
- What or which; masculine plural interrogative adjective.
- terribles
- Terrible or dreadful; causing great fear or horror.
- châtiments
- Punishments or chastisements inflicted as penalties.
- furent
- Simple past plural of 'être'; were (literary tense).
- infligés
- Inflicted; imposed as suffering or punishment on someone.
- à
- Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'.
- personne
- Person; a human individual, or 'nobody' in negation.
- outrages
- Outrages; extremely offensive or cruel acts committed.
- encore
- Still, yet, or even more; indicating continuation.
- plus
- More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree.
- révoltants
- Revolting or deeply shocking; causing moral outrage.
- perpétrés
- Perpetrated; carried out criminal or harmful acts.
- contre
- Against; preposition indicating opposition or contact.
- esprit
- Mind or spirit; the intellectual or immaterial self.
- nobles
- Noble; elevated in character, quality, or purpose.
- facultés
- Faculties; mental abilities or intellectual capacities.
- sublimes
- Sublime; of outstanding excellence or elevated character.
- aspirations
- Aspirations; strong desires or ambitions for achievement.
- fut
- Simple past singular of 'être'; was (literary tense).
- traité
- Treated; dealt with or handled in a certain way.
- bête
- Beast or animal; a creature lacking human reason.
- même
- Even, same, or itself; used for emphasis or equality.
- ceux
- Those; masculine plural demonstrative pronoun.
- qui
- Who or which; relative or interrogative pronoun.
- prétendaient
- Claimed or pretended to possess something; imperfect tense.
- avoir
- To have; infinitive of the auxiliary verb.
- eux
- Them or they; stressed third person plural pronoun.
- quelles
- What or which; feminine plural interrogative adjective.
- redoutables
- Formidable or dreadful; inspiring fear and apprehension.
- épreuves
- Trials or ordeals; difficult tests one must endure.
- continuellement
- Continually; happening repeatedly without interruption.
- soumis
- Subjected to or submitted; made to undergo something.
- dépourvu
- Deprived or devoid of something necessary or helpful.
- conseils
- Advice or counsel; guidance offered to someone.
- amicaux
- Friendly; of a kind or supportive nature.
- soutien
- Support or backing provided to someone in need.
- moments
- Moments; brief periods of time or critical instances.
- extrêmes
- Extreme; of the most intense or serious degree.
- elle
- She or it; third person singular feminine pronoun.
- lourde
- Heavy or burdensome; difficult to bear or lift.
- cette
- This or that; feminine singular demonstrative adjective.
- nuit
- Night; the dark period between sunset and sunrise.
- profonde
- Deep or profound; of great depth or intensity.
- malheur
- Misfortune or unhappiness; a state of great suffering.
- enveloppait
- Enveloped or wrapped; surrounded completely on all sides.
- ténèbres
- Darkness or gloom; deep shadow or obscurity.
- dernier
- Last or final; the most recent or concluding one.
- rayon
- Ray or beam; a narrow shaft of light.
- espoir
- Hope; a feeling that good things may happen.
- remplissait
- Filled; was filling or occupying a space completely.
- avenir
- Future; the time yet to come ahead.
- terreur
- Terror; extreme fear or dread of something.
- obscurité
- Obscurity or darkness; a state of being unknown or dark.
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