Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave — Page 5
could be persuaded to consecrate his time and talents to the promotion of the anti-slavery enterprise, a powerful impetus would be given to it, and a stunning blow at the same time inflicted on northern prejudice against a colored complexion.
pudesse ser persuadido a consagrar seu tempo e seus talentos à promoção da causa antiescravagista, um poderoso impulso lhe seria dado, e ao mesmo tempo um golpe devastador seria infligido ao preconceito do norte contra uma compleição de cor.
I therefore endeavored to instil hope and courage into his mind, in order that he might dare to engage in a vocation so anomalous and responsible for a person in his situation;
Esforcei-me, portanto, por instilar esperança e coragem em seu espírito, a fim de que ele ousasse dedicar-se a uma vocação tão anômala e responsável para uma pessoa em sua situação;
and I was seconded in this effort by warm-hearted friends, especially by the late General Agent of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, Mr. JOHN A. COLLINS, whose judgment in this instance entirely coincided with my own.
e fui secundado nesse esforço por amigos de coração generoso, especialmente pelo falecido Agente Geral da Sociedade Antiescravagista de Massachusetts, o Sr. JOHN A. COLLINS, cujo julgamento neste caso coincidiu inteiramente com o meu.
At first, he could give no encouragement; with unfeigned diffidence, he expressed his conviction that he was not adequate to the performance of so great a task;
A princípio, ele não pôde oferecer nenhum encorajamento; com genuína timidez, expressou sua convicção de que não era capaz de desempenhar uma tarefa tão grande;
the path marked out was wholly an untrodden one; he was sincerely apprehensive that he should do more harm than good.
o caminho traçado era inteiramente inexplorado; ele temia sinceramente que pudesse fazer mais mal do que bem.
After much deliberation, however, he consented to make a trial; and ever since that period, he has acted as a lecturing agent, under the auspices either of the American or the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society.
Após muita deliberação, porém, ele consentiu em fazer uma tentativa; e desde então atuou como agente de conferências, sob os auspícios da Sociedade Antiescravagista Americana ou da de Massachusetts.
In labors he has been most abundant; and his success in combating prejudice, in gaining proselytes, in agitating the public mind, has far surpassed the most sanguine expectations that were raised at the commencement of his brilliant career.
Em seus trabalhos tem sido extraordinariamente prolífico; e seu sucesso no combate ao preconceito, na conquista de prosélitos, na agitação do espírito público, superou em muito as mais otimistas expectativas que foram levantadas no início de sua brilhante carreira.
He has borne himself with gentleness and meekness, yet with true manliness of character.
Ele se comportou com gentileza e mansidão, mas com verdadeira virilidade de caráter.
Vocabulary
- pudesse
- Could, might (subjunctive past of poder)
- ser
- To be; existence or essential nature
- persuadido
- Persuaded, convinced of something
- consagrar
- To dedicate or devote oneself to something
- seu
- His, her, its, your (possessive adjective)
- tempo
- Time, period, era, or weather
- seus
- His, her, its, their (plural possessive)
- talentos
- Talents, gifts, or natural abilities
- promoção
- Promotion, advancement, or encouragement of cause
- da
- Of the (feminine singular contraction)
- causa
- Cause, reason, or legal case
- antiescravagista
- Anti-slavery; related to abolition movement
- um
- A, an (masculine singular article)
- poderoso
- Powerful, mighty, or strong
- impulso
- Impulse, drive, or sudden urge
- lhe
- To him, to her, to you (indirect object)
- seria
- Would be (conditional of ser)
- dado
- Given, granted, or provided
- ao
- To the (masculine singular contraction)
- mesmo
- Same, even, or self
- golpe
- Blow, stroke, or sudden action
- devastador
- Devastating, ruinous, or destructive
- infligido
- Inflicted, imposed, or administered
- preconceito
- Prejudice, bias, or discrimination
- do
- Of the (masculine singular contraction)
- norte
- North, northern region or direction
- contra
- Against, opposed to, or versus
- uma
- A, an (feminine singular article)
- de
- Of, from, about (preposition)
- cor
- Color, hue, or skin color
- Esforcei-me
- I strove, I made effort (past tense)
- portanto
- Therefore, consequently, or thus
- por
- By, for, through (preposition)
- instilar
- To instill, to infuse gradually
- esperança
- Hope, expectation, or confidence
- coragem
- Courage, bravery, or boldness
- em
- In, on, at (preposition)
- espírito
- Spirit, mind, or mental state
- fim
- End, purpose, or objective
- que
- That, which, who (relative pronoun)
- ele
- He, him (masculine personal pronoun)
- ousasse
- Dared, might dare (subjunctive past)
- dedicar-se
- To dedicate oneself, to commit to
- vocação
- Vocation, calling, or profession
- tão
- So, such, this much (adverb)
- anômala
- Anomalous, unusual, or irregular
- responsável
- Responsible, accountable, or liable
- para
- For, to, in order to (preposition)
- pessoa
- Person, individual, or human being
- sua
- His, her, its, your (feminine possessive)
- situação
- Situation, circumstance, or position
- fui
- I was, I went (past of ser/ir)
- secundado
- Seconded, supported, or backed up
- nesse
- In that (contraction of em + esse)
- esforço
- Effort, exertion, or attempt
- amigos
- Friends, friendly persons (plural)
- coração
- Heart, core, or center
- generoso
- Generous, noble, or kind-hearted
- especialmente
- Especially, particularly, or notably
- pelo
- By the, for the (contraction)
- falecido
- Deceased, late, or dead person
- Agente
- Agent, representative, or official
- Geral
- General, overall, or principal
- Sociedade
- Society, association, or organization
- Sr
- Mr., Mister (abbreviation)
- cujo
- Whose, of which (relative possessive)
- julgamento
- Judgment, opinion, or verdict
- neste
- In this (contraction of em + este)
- caso
- Case, instance, or circumstance
- coincidiu
- Coincided, matched, or agreed with
- inteiramente
- Entirely, completely, or wholly
- com
- With, accompanied by (preposition)
- meu
- My, mine (masculine singular possessive)
- princípio
- Principle, beginning, or fundamental rule
- não
- Not, no (negation)
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