On the Method of Zadig: Essay #1 from "Science and Hebrew Tradition" — Page 2
What we care about in a light is that it shows the way, not whether it is lamp or candle, tallow or wax.
O que nos importa numa luz é que ela mostre o caminho, não se é lâmpada ou vela, sebo ou cera.
Our only real interest in Zadig lies in the conceptions of which he is the putative father; and his biographer has stated these with so much clearness and vivacious illustration, that we need hardly feel a pang, even if critical research should prove King Moabdar and all the rest of the story to be unhistorical, and reduce Zadig himself to the shadowy condition of a solar myth.
Nosso único interesse real em Zadig reside nas concepções das quais ele é o suposto pai; e seu biógrafo as expôs com tanta clareza e ilustração vivaz, que mal precisamos sentir uma pontada, mesmo que a pesquisa crítica venha a provar que o Rei Moabdar e todo o restante da história são não históricos, e reduza o próprio Zadig à condição sombria de um mito solar.
Voltaire tells us that, disenchanted with life by sundry domestic misadventures, Zadig withdrew from the turmoil of Babylon to a secluded retreat on the banks of the Euphrates, where he beguiled his solitude by the study of nature.
Voltaire nos conta que, desencantado com a vida por diversas desventuras domésticas, Zadig se retirou da turbulência da Babilônia para um retiro isolado às margens do Eufrates, onde amenizava sua solidão com o estudo da natureza.
The manifold wonders of the world of life had a particular attraction for the lonely student; incessant and patient observation of the plants and animals about him sharpened his naturally good powers of observation and of reasoning; until, at length, he acquired a sagacity which enabled him to perceive endless minute differences among objects which, to the untutored eye, appeared absolutely alike.
As inúmeras maravilhas do mundo vivo exerciam uma atração particular sobre o solitário estudante; a observação incessante e paciente das plantas e animais ao seu redor aguçou seus naturalmente bons poderes de observação e de raciocínio; até que, por fim, adquiriu uma sagacidade que lhe permitia perceber infinitas diferenças mínimas entre objetos que, aos olhos não treinados, pareciam absolutamente iguais.
It might have been expected that this enlargement of the powers of the mind and of its store of natural knowledge could tend to nothing but the increase of a man's own welfare and the good of his fellow-men.
Poderia ter-se esperado que esse alargamento dos poderes da mente e de seu acervo de conhecimento natural não pudesse conduzir a nada senão ao aumento do bem-estar do próprio homem e ao bem de seus semelhantes.
But Zadig was fated to experience the vanity of such expectations.
Mas Zadig estava destinado a experimentar a vaidade de tais expectativas.
Vocabulary
- que
- Relative pronoun; what, which, that
- nos
- Us; to us (object pronoun)
- importa
- Matters; is important; third person singular present
- numa
- In a; contraction of em uma
- luz
- Light; illumination; clarity
- ela
- She; her; it (feminine pronoun)
- mostre
- Show; subjunctive or imperative form
- caminho
- Path; way; road; journey
- não
- No; not; negation particle
- se
- Reflexive pronoun; if; oneself
- lâmpada
- Lamp; light bulb; source of light
- ou
- Or; conjunction expressing alternative
- vela
- Candle; sail; watch; vigil
- cera
- Wax; substance used for polishing
- Nosso
- Our; possessive adjective first person plural
- único
- Only; sole; unique; single
- interesse
- Interest; concern; attention; curiosity
- real
- Real; true; actual; royal
- em
- In; on; at; preposition
- reside
- Resides; lives; dwells; third person singular
- nas
- In the; contraction of em as
- concepções
- Conceptions; ideas; notions; understandings
- das
- Of the; from the (feminine plural)
- quais
- Which; what; plural relative pronoun
- ele
- He; him; masculine pronoun
- suposto
- Supposed; alleged; presumed; assumed
- pai
- Father; male parent
- seu
- His; her; your; possessive adjective
- biógrafo
- Biographer; writer of biography
- as
- The; feminine plural article
- expôs
- Exposed; set forth; revealed; displayed
- com
- With; accompanied by; by means of
- tanta
- So much; such; feminine singular
- clareza
- Clarity; clearness; lucidity; brightness
- ilustração
- Illustration; example; image; enlightenment
- vivaz
- Lively; vivid; animated; spirited
- mal
- Bad; badly; evil; poorly
- precisamos
- We need; we require; first person plural
- sentir
- Feel; sense; experience; perceive
- uma
- A; an; feminine indefinite article
- mesmo
- Same; even; very; self
- pesquisa
- Research; investigation; inquiry; search
- crítica
- Criticism; critical analysis; critique
- venha
- Come; arrive; subjunctive form
- provar
- Prove; test; taste; demonstrate
- Rei
- King; male monarch; ruler
- todo
- All; every; entire; whole
- restante
- Remaining; rest; remainder; leftover
- história
- History; story; narrative; tale
- são
- Are; third person plural present
- históricos
- Historical; historic; of history
- reduza
- Reduce; diminish; lessen; subjunctive form
- próprio
- Own; proper; very; oneself
- condição
- Condition; state; status; situation
- sombria
- Somber; dark; gloomy; shadowy
- mito
- Myth; mythological story; legend
- solar
- Solar; of the sun; sun-related
- conta
- Tells; relates; counts; narrates
- desencantado
- Disillusioned; disenchanted; disappointed
- vida
- Life; existence; living; lifetime
- diversas
- Various; diverse; several; different
- desventuras
- Misfortunes; misadventures; bad luck
- domésticas
- Domestic; home; household; family
- retirou
- Withdrew; removed; retired; past tense
- turbulência
- Turbulence; disturbance; upheaval; turmoil
- retiro
- Retreat; withdrawal; refuge; sanctuary
- isolado
- Isolated; solitary; secluded; alone
- às
- To the; at the (feminine plural)
- margens
- Margins; edges; banks; shores
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