Second Treatise of Government — Page 8

English → Pt Book II Level 9/10

And if any one in the state of nature may punish another for any evil he has done, every one may do so: for in that state of perfect equality, where naturally there is no superiority or jurisdiction of one over another, what any may do in prosecution of that law, every one must needs have a right to do.

E se alguém no estado de natureza pode punir outro por qualquer mal que tenha feito, todos podem fazê-lo: pois naquele estado de perfeita igualdade, onde naturalmente não há superioridade ou jurisdição de um sobre outro, o que qualquer um pode fazer na aplicação dessa lei, todos necessariamente devem ter o direito de fazer.

Sect. 8. And thus, in the state of nature, one man comes by a power over another; but yet no absolute or arbitrary power, to use a criminal, when he has got him in his hands, according to the passionate heats, or boundless extravagancy of his own will; but only to retribute to him, so far as calm reason and conscience dictate, what is proportionate to his transgression, which is so much as may serve for reparation and restraint: for these two are the only reasons, why one man may lawfully do harm to another, which is that we call punishment.

Seção 8. E assim, no estado de natureza, um homem adquire poder sobre outro; mas ainda assim nenhum poder absoluto ou arbitrário, para tratar um criminoso, quando o tem em suas mãos, de acordo com os ardores passionais, ou a extravagância ilimitada de sua própria vontade; mas apenas para retribuir-lhe, na medida em que a razão serena e a consciência ditam, o que é proporcional à sua transgressão, que é tanto quanto pode servir para reparação e contenção: pois estas duas são as únicas razões pelas quais um homem pode legalmente causar dano a outro, o que é aquilo que chamamos de punição.

In transgressing the law of nature, the offender declares himself to live by another rule than that of reason and common equity, which is that measure God has set to the actions of men, for their mutual security; and so he becomes dangerous to mankind, the tye, which is to secure them from injury and violence, being slighted and broken by him.

Ao transgredir a lei da natureza, o transgressor declara-se disposto a viver por outra regra que não a da razão e da equidade comum, que é a medida que Deus estabeleceu para as ações dos homens, para a segurança mútua deles; e assim ele se torna perigoso para a humanidade, sendo o vínculo, que deve protegê-los de danos e violência, desprezado e rompido por ele.

Vocabulary

se: Reflexive pronoun or conditional conjunction meaning 'if'.
alguém: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'someone' or 'anybody'.
no: Contraction of 'em' and 'o', meaning 'in the'.
estado: Noun meaning 'state' or 'condition' of something.
natureza: Noun meaning 'nature', the natural world or essence.
pode: Third-person singular of 'poder', meaning 'can' or 'may'.
punir: Verb meaning 'to punish' someone for wrongdoing.
outro: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'another' or 'other'.
por: Preposition meaning 'for', 'by', or 'through'.
qualquer: Indefinite adjective meaning 'any' or 'whatever'.
mal: Noun or adverb meaning 'evil', 'harm', or 'badly'.
tenha: Subjunctive form of 'ter', meaning 'has' or 'have'.
feito: Past participle of 'fazer', meaning 'done' or 'made'.
todos: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all' or 'everyone'.
podem: Third-person plural of 'poder', meaning 'they can'.
fazê-lo: Verb phrase meaning 'to do it' or 'to perform it'.
pois: Conjunction meaning 'for', 'since', or 'because'.
naquele: Contraction of 'em' and 'aquele', meaning 'in that'.
perfeita: Adjective meaning 'perfect' or 'complete', feminine form.
igualdade: Noun meaning 'equality' or 'sameness' among people.
onde: Relative adverb meaning 'where' indicating place.
naturalmente: Adverb meaning 'naturally' or 'of course'.
há: Third-person singular of 'haver', meaning 'there is/are'.
superioridade: Noun meaning 'superiority', being higher in rank or quality.
jurisdição: Noun meaning 'jurisdiction', legal authority over an area.
sobre: Preposition meaning 'over', 'about', or 'upon'.
fazer: Verb meaning 'to do' or 'to make' something.
aplicação: Noun meaning 'application' or 'enforcement' of rules.
dessa: Contraction of 'de' and 'essa', meaning 'of this/that'.
lei: Noun meaning 'law', a rule established by authority.
necessariamente: Adverb meaning 'necessarily', something that must be.
devem: Third-person plural of 'dever', meaning 'they must'.
ter: Verb meaning 'to have' or 'to possess' something.
direito: Noun meaning 'right' or 'law'; adjective meaning 'right/straight'.
Seção: Noun meaning 'section', a distinct part of a document.
assim: Adverb meaning 'thus', 'so', or 'in this way'.
homem: Noun meaning 'man' or referring to humankind generally.
adquire: Third-person singular of 'adquirir', meaning 'acquires'.
poder: Noun meaning 'power'; verb meaning 'to be able to'.
mas: Conjunction meaning 'but', introducing a contrast.
ainda: Adverb meaning 'still', 'yet', or 'even'.
nenhum: Negative pronoun meaning 'none' or 'no' (masculine).
absoluto: Adjective meaning 'absolute', total and unrestricted.
arbitrário: Adjective meaning 'arbitrary', based on random choice.
para: Preposition meaning 'for', 'to', or 'in order to'.
tratar: Verb meaning 'to treat' or 'to deal with' someone.
criminoso: Noun or adjective meaning 'criminal', one who commits crimes.
quando: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when' indicating time.
tem: Third-person singular of 'ter', meaning 'has' or 'there is'.
suas: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'their' (feminine plural).
mãos: Noun meaning 'hands', the body parts at the end of arms.
acordo: Noun meaning 'agreement'; 'de acordo' means 'according to'.
ardores: Noun meaning 'ardors' or 'burning passions', intense feelings.
passionais: Adjective meaning 'passionate' or 'driven by passion'.
extravagância: Noun meaning 'extravagance', excessive or unreasonable behavior.
ilimitada: Adjective meaning 'unlimited' or 'boundless', without limits.
sua: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'your'.
própria: Adjective meaning 'own', emphasizing possession or identity.
vontade: Noun meaning 'will', desire, or determination to act.
apenas: Adverb meaning 'only', 'just', or 'merely'.
retribuir-lhe: Verb phrase meaning 'to repay him/her' or 'to retaliate'.
medida: Noun meaning 'measure' or 'extent'; 'à medida' means 'as'.
razão: Noun meaning 'reason', rational thought or justification.
serena: Adjective meaning 'serene' or 'calm', undisturbed.
consciência: Noun meaning 'conscience' or 'awareness', moral sense.
ditam: Third-person plural of 'ditar', meaning 'they dictate'.
proporcional: Adjective meaning 'proportional', corresponding in size or degree.
transgressão: Noun meaning 'transgression', a violation of a rule or law.
tanto: Adverb or adjective meaning 'so much', 'as much', or 'as many'.
quanto: Adverb or pronoun meaning 'as much as' or 'how much'.
servir: Verb meaning 'to serve' a purpose or person.
reparação: Noun meaning 'reparation' or 'repair', making amends.
contenção: Noun meaning 'restraint' or 'containment', holding back.
estas: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'these', feminine plural.
duas: Numeral meaning 'two', feminine form.
únicas: Adjective meaning 'only' or 'unique', feminine plural.
razões: Noun meaning 'reasons', plural of 'razão'.
pelas: Contraction of 'por' and 'as', meaning 'for the' or 'through the'.
quais: Relative pronoun meaning 'which' or 'whom', plural form.
legalmente: Adverb meaning 'legally', in accordance with the law.
causar: Verb meaning 'to cause' harm or an effect.
dano: Noun meaning 'damage' or 'harm' done to someone.
aquilo: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that thing' (neutral/distant).
chamamos: First-person plural of 'chamar', meaning 'we call'.
punição: Noun meaning 'punishment', penalty for wrongdoing.
Ao: Contraction of 'a' and 'o', meaning 'to the' or 'upon'.
transgredir: Verb meaning 'to transgress', to violate a law or rule.
transgressor: Noun meaning 'transgressor', one who violates a law.
declara-se: Reflexive verb phrase meaning 'declares oneself' or 'is declared'.
disposto: Adjective meaning 'willing' or 'disposed' to do something.
viver: Verb meaning 'to live', to exist or reside.
outra: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'another' or 'other', feminine.
regra: Noun meaning 'rule', a standard or principle to follow.
equidade: Noun meaning 'equity' or 'fairness', impartial justice.
comum: Adjective meaning 'common', shared by all or widespread.
Deus: Noun meaning 'God', the supreme divine being.
estabeleceu: Past tense of 'estabelecer', meaning 'established' or 'set up'.
ações: Noun meaning 'actions', things done by someone.
homens: Noun meaning 'men' or 'humans', plural of 'homem'.
segurança: Noun meaning 'security' or 'safety', protection from harm.
mútua: Adjective meaning 'mutual', shared between two parties.
deles: Possessive pronoun meaning 'of them' or 'their'.
torna: Third-person singular of 'tornar', meaning 'makes' or 'turns'.
perigoso: Adjective meaning 'dangerous', likely to cause harm.
humanidade: Noun meaning 'humanity', humankind or human qualities.
sendo: Gerund of 'ser', meaning 'being' in a continuous sense.
vínculo: Noun meaning 'bond' or 'tie', a link between people or things.
deve: Third-person singular of 'dever', meaning 'should' or 'must'.
protegê-los: Verb phrase meaning 'to protect them' from harm.
danos: Noun meaning 'damages' or 'harms', plural of 'dano'.
violência: Noun meaning 'violence', force used to harm others.
desprezado: Past participle of 'desprezar', meaning 'despised' or 'scorned'.
rompido: Past participle of 'romper', meaning 'broken' or 'severed'.

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