Second Treatise of Government — Page 4

English → It 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.

Non dovrei parlare così apertamente di un gentiluomo, da lungo tempo impossibilitato a rispondere, se il pulpito, negli ultimi anni, non avesse pubblicamente fatto propria la sua dottrina, e non l'avesse resa la teologia corrente dei tempi.

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:

È necessario che quegli uomini, i quali assumendosi il compito di essere maestri, hanno così pericolosamente fuorviato gli altri, siano apertamente messi di fronte a quale autorità sia questo loro Patriarca, che hanno seguito così ciecamente, affinché possano o ritrattare ciò che hanno sostenuto su basi così fragili e che non può essere difeso; oppure giustificare quei principi che hanno predicato come vangelo; sebbene non avessero un autore migliore di un cortigiano inglese:

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.

poiché non avrei scritto contro Sir Robert, né mi sarei preso la briga di mostrare i suoi errori, le sue incongruenze e la mancanza di (ciò di cui tanto si vanta, e su cui pretende di costruire interamente il suo pensiero) prove scritturali, se non vi fossero tra noi uomini che, esaltando i suoi libri e abbracciando la sua dottrina, mi risparmiano il rimprovero di scrivere contro un avversario defunto.

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

Sono stati così zelanti su questo punto, che, se gli ho fatto qualche torto, non posso sperare che mi risparmino.

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.

Vorrei che, laddove hanno fatto torto alla verità e al pubblico, fossero altrettanto pronti a porvi rimedio, e a riconoscere il giusto peso a questa riflessione, ovvero.

Vocabulary

Non: non — Negation word meaning 'not' in Italian.
dovrei: dovrei — First person singular conditional of 'dovere,' meaning 'I should.'
parlare: parlare — To speak or talk.
così: cosi — So, thus, or in this way.
apertamente: apertamente — Openly, frankly, without concealment.
di: di — Preposition meaning 'of' or 'about.'
un: un — Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an.'
gentiluomo: gentiluomo — A gentleman, a man of noble or refined character.
da: da — Preposition meaning 'from,' 'by,' or 'since.'
lungo: lungo — Long, extended in space or time.
tempo: tempo — Time, or a period of time.
impossibilitato: impossibilitato — Made unable, prevented from doing something.
a: a — Preposition meaning 'to' or 'at.'
rispondere: rispondere — To respond or reply to someone.
se: se — Conjunction meaning 'if' or 'whether.'
il: il — Definite article meaning 'the' (masculine singular).
pulpito: pulpito — The pulpit, a raised platform in a church.
negli: negli — Contraction of 'in' and 'gli,' meaning 'in the.'
ultimi: ultimi — Last or most recent (plural masculine).
anni: anni — Years, plural of 'anno.'
non: non — Negation word meaning 'not.'
avesse: avesse — Third person singular subjunctive imperfect of 'avere,' meaning 'had.'
pubblicamente: pubblicamente — Publicly, in a manner open to all.
fatto: fatto — Done or made; past participle of 'fare.'
propria: propria — Own, one's own (feminine singular).
la: la — Definite article meaning 'the' (feminine singular).
sua: sua — His, her, or its (feminine singular possessive).
dottrina: dottrina — Doctrine, a set of beliefs or teachings.
e: e — Conjunction meaning 'and.'
l': l' — Elided definite article meaning 'the.'
resa: resa — Made or rendered; past participle of 'rendere.'
teologia: teologia — Theology, the study of religious doctrine.
corrente: corrente — Current, prevailing, or mainstream.
dei: dei — Contraction of 'di' and 'i,' meaning 'of the.'
tempi: tempi — Times, periods; plural of 'tempo.'
È: e — Third person singular present of 'essere,' meaning 'is.'
necessario: necessario — Necessary, required, or essential.
che: che — Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that,' 'which,' or 'who.'
quegli: quegli — Those (masculine plural demonstrative adjective).
uomini: uomini — Men, plural of 'uomo.'
i: i — Definite article meaning 'the' (masculine plural).
quali: quali — Which or who (plural relative pronoun).
assumendosi: assumendosi — Taking upon oneself, assuming a role.
compito: compito — Task, duty, or assignment.
essere: essere — To be; the infinitive of the verb 'be.'
maestri: maestri — Teachers or masters; plural of 'maestro.'
hanno: hanno — Third person plural present of 'avere,' meaning 'they have.'
pericolosamente: pericolosamente — Dangerously, in a perilous or risky manner.
fuorviato: fuorviato — Led astray, misled, or misdirected.
gli: gli — Definite article or pronoun meaning 'the' or 'them.'
altri: altri — Others, other people (plural).
siano: siano — Third person plural present subjunctive of 'essere,' meaning 'be.'
messi: messi — Placed or put; past participle of 'mettere' (plural).
fronte: fronte — Front or face; also used in expressions like 'di fronte a.'
quale: quale — Which or what (singular interrogative/relative pronoun).
autorità: autorita — Authority, power, or official standing.
sia: sia — Third person singular present subjunctive of 'essere,' meaning 'be.'
questo: questo — This (masculine singular demonstrative adjective/pronoun).
loro: loro — Their or them (third person plural pronoun/possessive).
Patriarca: Patriarca — Patriarch, a founding or authoritative father figure.
seguito: seguito — Followed; past participle of 'seguire.'
ciecamente: ciecamente — Blindly, without question or critical thought.
affinché: affinche — So that, in order that (purpose conjunction).
possano: possano — Third person plural present subjunctive of 'potere,' meaning 'can.'
o: o — Conjunction meaning 'or.'
ritrattare: ritrattare — To retract or take back a statement.
ciò: cio — That, what; neuter demonstrative pronoun.
sostenuto: sostenuto — Sustained or upheld; past participle of 'sostenere.'
su: su — Preposition meaning 'on,' 'upon,' or 'about.'
basi: basi — Bases or foundations; plural of 'base.'
fragili: fragili — Fragile, weak, or easily broken (plural).
può: puo — Third person singular present of 'potere,' meaning 'can.'
difeso: difeso — Defended; past participle of 'difendere.'
oppure: oppure — Or else, alternatively (stronger disjunction than 'o').
giustificare: giustificare — To justify or provide justification for something.
quei: quei — Those (masculine plural demonstrative adjective).
principi: principi — Principles or fundamental rules; also 'princes.'
predicato: predicato — Preached; past participle of 'predicare.'
come: come — As, like, or how.
vangelo: vangelo — Gospel, the Christian scriptures or good news.
sebbene: sebbene — Although, even though (concessive conjunction).
avessero: avessero — Third person plural imperfect subjunctive of 'avere,' meaning 'had.'
autore: autore — Author or originator of a work.
migliore: migliore — Better or best (comparative/superlative adjective).
cortigiano: cortigiano — A courtier, one who attends a royal court.
inglese: inglese — English, relating to England or its language.
poiché: poiche — Since, because, given that (causal conjunction).
avrei: avrei — First person singular conditional of 'avere,' meaning 'I would have.'
scritto: scritto — Written; past participle of 'scrivere.'
contro: contro — Against, in opposition to.
né: ne — Neither, nor (negative correlative conjunction).
mi: mi — Me, myself (first person singular reflexive/object pronoun).
sarei: sarei — First person singular conditional of 'essere,' meaning 'I would be.'
preso: preso — Taken; past participle of 'prendere.'
briga: briga — Trouble or bother; used in 'prendersi la briga.'
mostrare: mostrare — To show or demonstrate something.
suoi: suoi — His, her, its (masculine plural possessive adjective).
errori: errori — Errors or mistakes; plural of 'errore.'
le: le — Definite article 'the' (feminine plural) or pronoun 'her/them.'
sue: sue — His, her, its (feminine plural possessive adjective).
incongruenze: incongruenze — Inconsistencies or incongruities (plural).
mancanza: mancanza — Lack, absence, or shortage of something.
cui: cui — Whose, which, whom (relative pronoun).
tanto: tanto — So much, so many, a great deal.
si: si — Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself' or 'each other.'
vanta: vanta — Boasts or prides oneself; third person singular of 'vantarsi.'
pretende: pretende — Claims or pretends; third person singular of 'pretendere.'
costruire: costruire — To build or construct something.
interamente: interamente — Entirely, wholly, completely.
suo: suo — His, her, its (masculine singular possessive adjective).
pensiero: pensiero — Thought or thinking; an idea or reflection.
prove: prove — Proofs or evidence; plural of 'prova.'
scritturali: scritturali — Scriptural, relating to religious scripture (plural).
vi: vi — There, or 'you' (plural/formal); particle of place.
fossero: fossero — Third person plural imperfect subjunctive of 'essere,' meaning 'were.'
tra: tra — Between, among, or in the midst of.
noi: noi — We or us (first person plural pronoun).
esaltando: esaltando — Exalting or praising highly (gerund of 'esaltare').
libri: libri — Books; plural of 'libro.'
abbracciando: abbracciando — Embracing or adopting (gerund of 'abbracciare').
risparmiano: risparmiano — They spare or save; third person plural of 'risparmiare.'
rimprovero: rimprovero — Reproach or rebuke directed at someone.
scrivere: scrivere — To write.
avversario: avversario — Adversary or opponent.
defunto: defunto — Deceased, the late; referring to someone who has died.
Sono: Sono — First or third person plural present of 'essere,' meaning 'I am/they are.'
stati: stati — Been; past participle plural of 'essere.'
zelanti: zelanti — Zealous or fervent (plural adjective).
punto: punto — Point or extent; also a period/full stop.
ho: ho — First person singular present of 'avere,' meaning 'I have.'
qualche: qualche — Some or any (singular indefinite adjective).
torto: torto — Wrong or fault; 'avere torto' means 'to be wrong.'
posso: posso — First person singular present of 'potere,' meaning 'I can.'
sperare: sperare — To hope for something.
risparmino: risparmino — Third person plural present subjunctive of 'risparmiare,' meaning 'spare.'
Vorrei: Vorrei — First person singular conditional of 'volere,' meaning 'I would like.'
laddove: laddove — Where, wherever; used to introduce a condition or place.
alla: alla — Contraction of 'a' and 'la,' meaning 'to the.'
verità: verita — Truth, the quality of being true.
al: al — Contraction of 'a' and 'il,' meaning 'to the.'
pubblico: pubblico — The public, or relating to the general population.
altrettanto: altrettanto — Equally, just as much, the same amount.
pronti: pronti — Ready or prepared (masculine plural adjective).
porvi: porvi — To place or put there; infinitive with particle 'vi.'
rimedio: rimedio — Remedy or solution to a problem.
riconoscere: riconoscere — To recognize or acknowledge something.
giusto: giusto — Just, right, or fair; correct.
peso: peso — Weight or importance of something.
questa: questa — This (feminine singular demonstrative adjective/pronoun).
riflessione: riflessione — Reflection or thoughtful consideration.
ovvero: ovvero — That is, or rather; used to clarify or rephrase.

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