← Second Treatise of Government

Second Treatise of Government — Page 4

English → Spanish Preface Level 9/10

I should not speak so plainly of a gentleman, long since past answering, had not the pulpit, of late years, publicly owned his doctrine, and made it the current divinity of the times.

No debería hablar tan claramente de un caballero, hace mucho tiempo ya incapaz de responder, si el púlpito, en los últimos años, no hubiera reconocido públicamente su doctrina y la hubiera convertido en la teología vigente de los tiempos.

It is necessary those men, who taking on them to be teachers, have so dangerously misled others, should be openly shewed of what authority this their Patriarch is, whom they have so blindly followed, that so they may either retract what upon so ill grounds they have vented, and cannot be maintained; or else justify those principles which they preached up for gospel; though they had no better an author than an English courtier:

Es necesario que aquellos hombres que, habiéndose atribuido el papel de maestros, han extraviado a otros de manera tan peligrosa, sean públicamente confrontados con la verdadera autoridad de este su Patriarca, a quien han seguido tan ciegamente, para que puedan retractarse de lo que sobre tan malos fundamentos han proclamado y no puede sostenerse; o bien justificar aquellos principios que predicaron como evangelio; aunque no tuvieran mejor autor que un cortesano inglés:

for I should not have writ against Sir Robert, or taken the pains to shew his mistakes, inconsistencies, and want of (what he so much boasts of, and pretends wholly to build on) scripture-proofs, were there not men amongst us, who, by crying up his books, and espousing his doctrine, save me from the reproach of writing against a dead adversary.

pues no habría escrito contra Sir Robert, ni me habría tomado la molestia de señalar sus errores, inconsistencias y carencia de pruebas escriturales (de lo que tanto presume y pretende basarse enteramente), si no hubiera entre nosotros hombres que, al ensalzar sus libros y adoptar su doctrina, me libran del reproche de escribir contra un adversario muerto.

They have been so zealous in this point, that, if I have done him any wrong, I cannot hope they should spare me.

Han sido tan celosos en este punto, que, si le he causado algún agravio, no puedo esperar que me perdonen.

I wish, where they have done the truth and the public wrong, they would be as ready to redress it, and allow its just weight to this reflection, viz.

Desearía que, allí donde han agraviado a la verdad y al público, estuvieran igualmente dispuestos a enmendarlo, y a conceder el justo peso que merece esta reflexión, a saber:

Vocabulary

No
Negation; used to deny or refuse something.
debería
Should; conditional form of deber expressing obligation.
hablar
To speak; to communicate using words or language.
tan
So; used to intensify adjectives or adverbs.
claramente
Clearly; in a clear, transparent, or easily understood manner.
de
Of; preposition indicating possession, origin, or relationship.
un
A; indefinite article for masculine singular nouns.
caballero
Gentleman; a man of noble birth or refined manners.
hace
Ago; indicates time elapsed or distance in past.
mucho
Much; a large quantity or degree of something.
tiempo
Time; the indefinite continued progress of existence.
ya
Already; indicates completion of an action or state.
incapaz
Incapable; lacking ability or skill to do something.
responder
To respond; to answer or reply to something.
si
If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothetical situation.
el
The; definite article for masculine singular nouns.
en
In; preposition indicating location, position, or time.
los
The; definite article for masculine plural nouns.
últimos
Last; most recent or final in a sequence.
años
Years; plural of año, unit of time.
no
Not; negation particle used in Spanish sentences.
hubiera
Had; subjunctive past tense of haber.
reconocido
Recognized; acknowledged or admitted as being valid.
públicamente
Publicly; in an open or obvious manner to all.
su
His, her, its; possessive adjective third person.
doctrina
Doctrine; a set of principles or beliefs taught.
la
The; definite article for feminine singular nouns.
convertido
Converted; changed from one form to another.
vigente
Current; in effect or valid at the present time.
tiempos
Times; plural of tiempo, periods or eras.
Es
Is; third person singular present of ser.
necesario
Necessary; required or essential for a purpose.
que
That; relative or subordinating conjunction in Spanish.
aquellos
Those; demonstrative adjective referring to distant things.
hombres
Men; plural of hombre, male human beings.
habiéndose
Having; present participle with reflexive pronoun.
atribuido
Attributed; ascribed or assigned to someone.
papel
Role; a part played by someone in situation.
maestros
Masters; expert teachers or skilled practitioners.
han
Have; third person plural present of haber.
extraviado
Led astray; caused to lose the right way.
otros
Others; different people or additional things.
manera
Way; manner or method of doing something.
peligrosa
Dangerous; involving risk or potential harm.
sean
Are; third person plural subjunctive of ser.
confrontados
Confronted; faced with or brought face-to-face.
con
With; preposition indicating accompaniment or association.
verdadera
True; genuine or authentic in nature.
autoridad
Authority; power to command or enforce obedience.
este
This; demonstrative adjective referring to nearby things.
quien
Who; relative pronoun referring to a person.
seguido
Followed; came after or proceeded by something.
ciegamente
Blindly; without questioning or understanding fully.
para
For; preposition indicating purpose or destination.
puedan
Can; third person plural subjunctive of poder.
retractarse
Retract; take back a statement or claim.
lo
It; direct object pronoun for masculine singular.
sobre
About; concerning or regarding a particular subject.
malos
Bad; of poor quality or morally wrong.
fundamentos
Foundations; basic underlying principles or basis.
proclamado
Proclaimed; announced publicly or declared officially.
puede
Can; third person singular present of poder.
sostenerse
Hold up; remain valid or be maintained.
bien
Well; in a good or satisfactory manner.
justificar
Justify; provide a valid reason for something.
principios
Principles; fundamental rules or beliefs.
predicaron
Preached; delivered a sermon or religious discourse.
como
As; in the role, function, or manner of.
evangelio
Gospel; teachings of Jesus or Christian faith.
aunque
Although; despite the fact that something is true.
tuvieran
Had; subjunctive past tense of tener.
mejor
Better; of higher quality or more desirable.
autor
Author; person who writes or creates work.
inglés
English; relating to England or its language.
pues
Then; used to introduce a consequence or reason.
habría
Would have; conditional past of haber.
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