← Second Treatise of Government

Second Treatise of Government — Page 7

English → Spanish Book II Level 9/10

Every one, as he is bound to preserve himself, and not to quit his station wilfully, so by the like reason, when his own preservation comes not in competition, ought he, as much as he can, to preserve the rest of mankind, and may not, unless it be to do justice on an offender, take away, or impair the life, or what tends to the preservation of the life, the liberty, health, limb, or goods of another.

Cada uno, así como está obligado a preservarse a sí mismo y a no abandonar su puesto voluntariamente, por la misma razón, cuando su propia preservación no está en competencia, debe, en la medida de lo posible, preservar al resto de la humanidad, y no puede, a menos que sea para hacer justicia a un ofensor, quitar o menoscabar la vida, o lo que tiende a la preservación de la vida, la libertad, la salud, los miembros o los bienes de otro.

Sect. 7. And that all men may be restrained from invading others rights, and from doing hurt to one another, and the law of nature be observed, which willeth the peace and preservation of all mankind, the execution of the law of nature is, in that state, put into every man's hands, whereby every one has a right to punish the transgressors of that law to such a degree, as may hinder its violation: for the law of nature would, as all other laws that concern men in this world be in vain, if there were no body that in the state of nature had a power to execute that law, and thereby preserve the innocent and restrain offenders.

Artículo 7. Y para que todos los hombres puedan ser impedidos de invadir los derechos de otros y de hacerse daño mutuamente, y para que se observe la ley de la naturaleza, que ordena la paz y la preservación de toda la humanidad, la ejecución de la ley de la naturaleza se pone, en ese estado, en manos de cada hombre, por lo cual cada uno tiene el derecho de castigar a los transgresores de esa ley en la medida en que pueda impedir su violación: pues la ley de la naturaleza sería, como todas las demás leyes que conciernen a los hombres en este mundo, vana, si no hubiera nadie que en el estado de naturaleza tuviera el poder de ejecutar esa ley, y así preservar a los inocentes y contener a los ofensores.

Vocabulary

Cada
Each; used to refer to every individual item
uno
One; refers to a single person or thing
así
Thus; in this way or manner
como
As; like; used for comparison or similarity
está
Is; third-person singular present of estar
obligado
Obligated; required or compelled to do something
a
To; preposition indicating direction or obligation
preservarse
To preserve oneself; to maintain one's own existence
sí
Himself/herself/itself; reflexive pronoun for emphasis
mismo
Same; himself; used for emphasis or identity
y
And; basic coordinating conjunction
no
No; not; negation word
abandonar
To abandon; to leave or give up something
su
His/her/its/your; possessive pronoun
puesto
Post; position; place assigned to someone
voluntariamente
Voluntarily; done by one's own free will
por
For; by; because of; preposition with many uses
la
The; feminine singular definite article
misma
Same; feminine form used for emphasis or identity
razón
Reason; the cause or justification for something
cuando
When; used to introduce a time clause
propia
Own; one's own; belonging to oneself
preservación
Preservation; the act of keeping something safe
en
In; at; on; common preposition of location
competencia
Competition; conflict of interests between parties
debe
Must; should; third-person singular of deber
medida
Measure; extent; degree to which something applies
de
Of; from; common preposition indicating origin
lo
It; the; neuter article or direct object pronoun
posible
Possible; able to be done or achieved
preservar
To preserve; to protect or maintain something intact
al
To the; contraction of a and el
resto
Rest; remainder; the remaining part of something
humanidad
Humanity; all human beings collectively
puede
Can; is able to; third-person singular of poder
menos
Less; fewer; except; used for reduction or exception
que
That; which; than; very common conjunction
sea
Be; present subjunctive of ser
para
For; in order to; preposition indicating purpose
hacer
To do; to make; very common Spanish verb
justicia
Justice; fairness; the legal or moral principle
un
A; an; masculine singular indefinite article
ofensor
Offender; one who commits a violation or crime
quitar
To take away; to remove something from someone
o
Or; coordinating disjunctive conjunction
menoscabar
To diminish; to harm or reduce something's value
vida
Life; the state of being alive
tiende
Tends; inclines toward; third-person singular of tender
libertad
Liberty; freedom from constraint or oppression
salud
Health; the condition of one's body or mind
los
The; masculine plural definite article
miembros
Members; limbs; parts of a body or group
bienes
Goods; property; possessions belonging to someone
otro
Another; other; a different person or thing
Artículo
Article; a numbered section of a legal document
Y
And; coordinating conjunction connecting clauses
todos
All; everyone; every member of a group
hombres
Men; human beings; plural of hombre
puedan
Can; may; present subjunctive of poder
ser
To be; infinitive of the verb ser
impedidos
Prevented; hindered; stopped from doing something
invadir
To invade; to encroach upon another's rights
derechos
Rights; legal or moral entitlements of a person
otros
Others; other people; plural of otro
hacerse
To do to oneself; to inflict upon each other
daño
Harm; damage; injury caused to someone
mutuamente
Mutually; reciprocally; affecting each other equally
se
Reflexive pronoun; oneself; used in reflexive verbs
observe
Observe; be followed; present subjunctive of observar
ley
Law; a rule established by authority
naturaleza
Nature; the natural world or one's inherent character
ordena
Orders; commands; third-person singular of ordenar
paz
Peace; a state free from conflict or disturbance
toda
All; every; entire; feminine form of todo
ejecución
Execution; the carrying out of a law or plan
pone
Puts; places; third-person singular of poner
ese
That; demonstrative adjective referring to something nearby
estado
State; condition; also a political state or nation
manos
Hands; plural of mano; also means in the hands of
cada
Each; every; used before singular nouns
hombre
Man; human being; adult male person
cual
Which; who; relative pronoun used in formal contexts
tiene
Has; holds; third-person singular of tener
el
The; masculine singular definite article
derecho
Right; entitlement; also law as a field of study
castigar
To punish; to impose a penalty for wrongdoing
transgresores
Transgressors; those who violate laws or norms
esa
That; feminine demonstrative adjective
pueda
Can; may; present subjunctive of poder
impedir
To prevent; to stop something from happening
violación
Violation; breach of a law, rule, or right
pues
For; since; well; causal or explanatory conjunction
sería
Would be; conditional tense of ser
todas
All; every; feminine plural form of todo
las
The; feminine plural definite article
demás
The rest; the others; remaining people or things
leyes
Laws; plural of ley; rules governing society
conciernen
Concern; relate to; third-person plural of concernir
este
This; masculine demonstrative adjective or pronoun
mundo
World; the earth; all of human society
vana
Vain; useless; empty; without effect or purpose
si
If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis
hubiera
There were; past subjunctive of haber
nadie
Nobody; no one; negative indefinite pronoun
tuviera
Had; past subjunctive of tener
poder
Power; ability; also the verb to be able
ejecutar
To execute; to carry out a law or order
inocentes
Innocent ones; those free from guilt or wrongdoing
contener
To contain; to restrain; to hold back someone
ofensores
Offenders; those who commit harmful or illegal acts
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