← Second Treatise of Government

Second Treatise of Government — Page 5

English → De Preface Level 9/10

that there cannot be done a greater mischief to prince and people, than the propagating wrong notions concerning government; that so at last all times might not have reason to complain of the Drum Ecclesiastic.

dass dem Fürsten und dem Volk kein größerer Schaden zugefügt werden kann, als durch die Verbreitung falscher Vorstellungen über die Regierung; damit schließlich nicht alle Zeiten Grund hätten, über die Kirchentrommel zu klagen.

If any one, concerned really for truth, undertake the confutation of my Hypothesis, I promise him either to recant my mistake, upon fair conviction; or to answer his difficulties.

Wenn jemand, dem wirklich an der Wahrheit gelegen ist, die Widerlegung meiner Hypothese unternimmt, so verspreche ich ihm, entweder meinen Irrtum nach fairer Überzeugung zu widerrufen, oder auf seine Einwände zu antworten.

But he must remember two things.

Aber er muss sich zwei Dinge merken.

First, That cavilling here and there, at some expression, or little incident of my discourse, is not an answer to my book.

Erstens, dass das Herumkritisieren an dem einen oder anderen Ausdruck oder einer Kleinigkeit meiner Abhandlung keine Antwort auf mein Buch ist.

Secondly, That I shall not take railing for arguments, nor think either of these worth my notice, though I shall always look on myself as bound to give satisfaction to any one, who shall appear to be conscientiously scrupulous in the point, and shall shew any just grounds for his scruples.

Zweitens, dass ich Schimpfen nicht für Argumente halten werde, noch eines von beidem für beachtenswert halte, obwohl ich mich stets verpflichtet sehen werde, jedem Genugtuung zu geben, der in diesem Punkt gewissenhaft bedenklich erscheint und gerechte Gründe für seine Bedenken darlegt.

I have nothing more, but to advertise the reader, that Observations stands for Observations on Hobbs, Milton, &c. and that a bare quotation of pages always means pages of his Patriarcha, Edition 1680.

Ich habe nichts weiter hinzuzufügen, als den Leser darauf hinzuweisen, dass Observations für Observations on Hobbs, Milton, usw. steht, und dass ein bloßes Zitat von Seiten stets Seiten seiner Patriarcha, Ausgabe 1680, bedeutet.

Vocabulary

dass
Conjunction introducing a subordinate clause, meaning 'that'
dem
Dative definite article for masculine/neuter nouns
Fürsten
Princes or rulers; plural of Fürst
Volk
A people, nation, or folk group
kein
Negative article meaning 'no' or 'not any'
größerer
Greater or larger; comparative form of groß
Schaden
Damage, harm, or injury caused to someone
zugefügt
Inflicted or caused; past participle of zufügen
werden
Auxiliary verb for future or passive constructions
kann
Third-person singular of können, meaning 'can'
als
Conjunction or preposition meaning 'than' or 'as'
durch
Preposition meaning 'through' or 'by means of'
Verbreitung
Spreading or dissemination of information or ideas
falscher
False or incorrect; genitive/dative form of falsch
Vorstellungen
Ideas, notions, or conceptions held in the mind
über
Preposition meaning 'about,' 'over,' or 'above'
Regierung
Government or ruling administration of a state
damit
Conjunction or adverb meaning 'so that' or 'with it'
schließlich
Finally, eventually, or in the end
nicht
Negation adverb meaning 'not'
alle
All or every; referring to an entire group
Zeiten
Times or ages; plural of Zeit
Grund
Reason, ground, or basis for something
hätten
Subjunctive II of haben, meaning 'would have'
zu
Preposition or infinitive particle meaning 'to'
klagen
To complain, lament, or file a legal complaint
Wenn
Conditional conjunction meaning 'if' or 'when'
jemand
Someone or somebody; an indefinite person
wirklich
Really, truly, or genuinely; expressing sincerity
an
Preposition meaning 'at,' 'on,' or 'to'
Wahrheit
Truth or factual correctness of a statement
gelegen
Located; past participle also meaning 'concerned with'
Widerlegung
Refutation or disproof of an argument or claim
meiner
Genitive or dative of mein, meaning 'of my'
Hypothese
Hypothesis or provisional theoretical assumption
unternimmt
Undertakes or attempts; third-person singular of unternehmen
so
Then, thus, or so; used in conditional constructions
verspreche
I promise; first-person singular of versprechen
ihm
Dative pronoun meaning 'him' or 'to him'
entweder
Either; used in either-or constructions
meinen
My; accusative plural of mein, or to mean/think
Irrtum
Error, mistake, or mistaken belief
nach
Preposition meaning 'after,' 'to,' or 'according to'
fairer
Fair or just; comparative or inflected form of fair
Überzeugung
Conviction or firm belief based on evidence
widerrufen
To retract or revoke a statement or claim
oder
Coordinating conjunction meaning 'or'
auf
Preposition meaning 'on,' 'upon,' or 'to'
seine
His or its; possessive pronoun in various forms
Einwände
Objections or counterarguments raised against something
antworten
To answer or respond to a question or objection
Aber
Coordinating conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however'
muss
Must; third-person singular of müssen
sich
Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself,' 'herself,' or 'itself'
Dinge
Things or matters; plural of Ding
merken
To notice, remember, or bear in mind
Erstens
Firstly or first of all; introducing the first point
Herumkritisieren
Nitpicking or criticizing aimlessly around a topic
anderen
Another or other; inflected form of ander
Ausdruck
Expression, term, or wording used in language
Kleinigkeit
A trifle, minor detail, or small matter
Abhandlung
Treatise, essay, or scholarly written work
keine
No or none; feminine/plural negative article
Antwort
Answer or reply to a question or statement
mein
My; first-person singular possessive pronoun
Buch
Book; a written or printed literary work
Zweitens
Secondly; introducing the second point in a list
Schimpfen
Scolding, ranting, or verbal abuse
für
Preposition meaning 'for' or 'in favor of'
Argumente
Arguments or reasons supporting a position
halten
To hold, keep, or consider something in a way
werde
Future auxiliary or subjunctive form of werden
noch
Still, yet, or additionally; used in negation too
eines
Genitive of ein; one of something
von
Preposition meaning 'from,' 'of,' or 'by'
beidem
Both; dative form of beide referring to two things
beachtenswert
Noteworthy or worth paying attention to
halte
I consider or hold; first-person singular of halten
obwohl
Although or even though; concessive conjunction
mich
Accusative first-person pronoun meaning 'me'
stets
Always or constantly; formal synonym of immer
verpflichtet
Obligated or bound by duty to do something
sehen
To see or view; also used as 'to consider'
jedem
To everyone; dative form of jeder meaning 'each'
Genugtuung
Satisfaction or reparation given for an offense
geben
To give; fundamental verb of transfer or provision
diesem
This; dative masculine/neuter demonstrative pronoun
Punkt
Point, dot, or specific matter under discussion
gewissenhaft
Conscientious or scrupulous in fulfilling duties
bedenklich
Dubious, concerning, or giving cause for reflection
erscheint
Appears or seems; third-person singular of erscheinen
gerechte
Just, fair, or righteous; inflected form of gerecht
Gründe
Reasons or grounds; plural of Grund
Bedenken
Reservations, doubts, or misgivings about something
darlegt
Sets forth or presents clearly; from darlegen
habe
I have; first-person singular of haben
nichts
Nothing; negative indefinite pronoun
weiter
Further, more, or additionally; comparative of weit
hinzuzufügen
To add additionally; infinitive of hinzufügen
Leser
Reader; a person who reads a text
darauf
On that, thereupon; prepositional adverb
hinzuweisen
To point out or draw attention to something
usw
Abbreviation of und so weiter, meaning 'et cetera'
steht
Stands or is written; third-person singular of stehen
bloßes
Mere or bare; inflected form of bloß
Zitat
Quotation or citation from a text or speech
Seiten
Pages or sides; plural of Seite
seiner
His or its; genitive masculine/neuter of sein
Ausgabe
Edition or issue of a publication or work
bedeutet
Means or signifies; third-person singular of bedeuten
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