The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 1
Great art Thou, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is Thy power, and Thy wisdom infinite.
Groß bist Du, o Herr, und sehr lobenswürdig; groß ist Deine Macht, und Deine Weisheit unendlich.
And Thee would man praise; man, but a particle of Thy creation; man, that bears about him his mortality, the witness of his sin, the witness that Thou resistest the proud: yet would man praise Thee; he, but a particle of Thy creation.
Und Dich möchte der Mensch preisen; der Mensch, nur ein Teilchen Deiner Schöpfung; der Mensch, der seine Sterblichkeit mit sich trägt, das Zeugnis seiner Sünde, das Zeugnis, dass Du den Hochmütigen widerstehst: dennoch möchte der Mensch Dich preisen; er, nur ein Teilchen Deiner Schöpfung.
Thou awakest us to delight in Thy praise; for Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee.
Du erweckst uns zur Freude an Deinem Lob; denn Du hast uns für Dich geschaffen, und unser Herz ist ruhelos, bis es Ruhe findet in Dir.
Grant me, Lord, to know and understand which is first, to call on Thee or to praise Thee? and, again, to know Thee or to call on Thee?
Gewähre mir, Herr, zu erkennen und zu verstehen, was zuerst kommt: Dich anzurufen oder Dich zu preisen? und ferner: Dich zu erkennen oder Dich anzurufen?
for who can call on Thee, not knowing Thee? for he that knoweth Thee not, may call on Thee as other than Thou art.
Denn wer kann Dich anrufen, ohne Dich zu kennen? Denn wer Dich nicht kennt, mag Dich anrufen als einen anderen, als Du bist.
Or, is it rather, that we call on Thee that we may know Thee? but how shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? or how shall they believe without a preacher?
Oder ist es vielmehr so, dass wir Dich anrufen, damit wir Dich erkennen mögen? Doch wie sollen sie den anrufen, an den sie nicht geglaubt haben? Oder wie sollen sie glauben ohne einen Prediger?
and they that seek the Lord shall praise Him: for they that seek shall find Him, and they that find shall praise Him.
Und die den Herrn suchen, werden Ihn preisen; denn die suchen, werden Ihn finden, und die Ihn finden, werden Ihn preisen.
I will seek Thee, Lord, by calling on Thee; and will call on Thee, believing in Thee; for to us hast Thou been preached.
Ich will Dich suchen, Herr, indem ich Dich anrufe; und will Dich anrufen, indem ich an Dich glaube; denn uns ist von Dir gepredigt worden.
My faith, Lord, shall call on Thee, which Thou hast given me, wherewith Thou hast inspired me, through the Incarnation of Thy Son, through the ministry of the Preacher.
Mein Glaube, Herr, wird Dich anrufen, den Du mir gegeben hast, womit Du mich begeistert hast, durch die Menschwerdung Deines Sohnes, durch den Dienst des Predigers.
Vocabulary
- Groß
- Great or large in size, extent, or importance
- bist
- Second person singular present tense of 'to be'
- Du
- Informal second person singular pronoun meaning 'you'
- Herr
- Lord, master, or formal title for a man
- und
- Conjunction connecting words, phrases, or clauses
- sehr
- Adverb meaning very or greatly, intensifying adjectives
- lobenswürdig
- Worthy of praise or commendation; praiseworthy
- groß
- Adjective meaning great, large, or significant
- ist
- Third person singular present tense of 'to be'
- Deine
- Possessive pronoun meaning 'your' in informal address
- Macht
- Power, might, or authority over others
- Weisheit
- Wisdom; accumulated knowledge and good judgment
- unendlich
- Infinite, endless, without limits or boundaries
- Und
- Conjunction meaning 'and', connecting clauses or words
- Dich
- Accusative form of informal 'you', direct object
- möchte
- Would like to; polite expression of desire or wish
- der
- Definite article or relative pronoun, masculine nominative
- Mensch
- Human being, person, or mankind in general
- preisen
- To praise, extol, or glorify someone or something
- nur
- Only, merely, just; limiting adverb
- ein
- Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
- Teilchen
- Small particle or tiny piece of something larger
- Deiner
- Genitive possessive form of informal 'your'
- Schöpfung
- Creation; the act of creating or created world
- seine
- Possessive pronoun meaning 'his' or 'its'
- Sterblichkeit
- Mortality; the condition of being subject to death
- mit
- Preposition meaning 'with', indicating accompaniment
- sich
- Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself', 'herself', 'itself'
- trägt
- Third person singular of 'tragen', to carry or bear
- das
- Definite article or demonstrative pronoun, neuter form
- Zeugnis
- Testimony, witness, or certificate of evidence
- seiner
- Genitive form of possessive pronoun 'his' or 'its'
- Sünde
- Sin; moral transgression or wrongdoing against divine law
- dass
- Subordinating conjunction meaning 'that'
- den
- Definite article in accusative masculine or dative plural
- Hochmütigen
- The arrogant or proud ones; those full of pride
- widerstehst
- You resist or oppose; second person singular of 'widerstehen'
- dennoch
- Nevertheless, still, yet; expressing contrast or concession
- er
- Third person singular masculine pronoun meaning 'he'
- erweckst
- You awaken or arouse; second person singular of 'erwecken'
- uns
- First person plural pronoun 'us' in accusative or dative
- zur
- Contraction of 'zu der', meaning 'to the'
- Freude
- Joy, delight, or happiness; positive emotional state
- an
- Preposition meaning 'at', 'on', or 'by'
- Deinem
- Dative form of informal possessive 'your'
- Lob
- Praise, commendation, or words of approval
- denn
- Conjunction meaning 'for', 'because', or 'then'
- hast
- Second person singular of 'haben', meaning 'have'
- für
- Preposition meaning 'for' or 'on behalf of'
- geschaffen
- Past participle of 'schaffen', meaning created or made
- unser
- Possessive pronoun meaning 'our'
- Herz
- Heart; the organ or center of emotions and feelings
- ruhelos
- Restless, without rest or peace; unable to settle
- bis
- Conjunction or preposition meaning 'until' or 'up to'
- es
- Neuter third person singular pronoun meaning 'it'
- Ruhe
- Rest, calm, or peace; state of stillness or tranquility
- findet
- Third person singular of 'finden', meaning finds or discovers
- in
- Preposition meaning 'in' or 'inside'
- Dir
- Dative form of informal 'you', indirect object
- Gewähre
- Imperative of 'gewähren', meaning grant or allow
- mir
- Dative first person singular pronoun meaning 'to me'
- zu
- Preposition or infinitive particle meaning 'to'
- erkennen
- To recognize, discern, or come to understand something
- verstehen
- To understand or comprehend something fully
- was
- Interrogative or relative pronoun meaning 'what'
- zuerst
- First, at first, or in the first place
- kommt
- Third person singular of 'kommen', meaning comes or arrives
- anzurufen
- Infinitive meaning to call upon or invoke someone
- oder
- Conjunction meaning 'or', presenting an alternative
- ferner
- Furthermore, moreover, or additionally; transitional adverb
- Denn
- Conjunction meaning 'for' or 'because', introducing reason
- wer
- Interrogative pronoun meaning 'who'
- kann
- Modal verb meaning 'can' or 'is able to'
- anrufen
- To call upon, invoke, or telephone someone
- ohne
- Preposition meaning 'without', indicating absence
- kennen
- To know or be acquainted with a person or thing
- nicht
- Negation adverb meaning 'not'
- kennt
- Third person singular of 'kennen', meaning knows or recognizes
- mag
- Modal verb meaning 'may', 'might', or 'likes'
- als
- Conjunction or preposition meaning 'as', 'than', or 'when'
- einen
- Accusative masculine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
- anderen
- Another or other; referring to a different person or thing
- Oder
- Conjunction meaning 'or', introducing an alternative
- vielmehr
- Rather, more precisely; correcting or refining a statement
- so
- Adverb or conjunction meaning 'so', 'thus', or 'therefore'
- wir
- First person plural pronoun meaning 'we'
- damit
- Conjunction meaning 'so that' or 'in order that'
- mögen
- Modal verb meaning to like, may, or might
- Doch
- Particle meaning 'yet', 'however', or 'but'
- wie
- Interrogative or conjunction meaning 'how' or 'as'
- sollen
- Modal verb expressing obligation or expectation, 'shall'
- sie
- Third person pronoun meaning 'she', 'they', or 'you' formal
- geglaubt
- Past participle of 'glauben', meaning believed or trusted
- haben
- To have; auxiliary verb used in perfect tenses
- glauben
- To believe or have faith in something or someone
- Prediger
- Preacher; one who delivers religious sermons publicly
- die
- Definite article feminine or plural, also relative pronoun
- Herrn
- Genitive or accusative of 'Herr', meaning Lord or master
- suchen
- To seek, look for, or search for something
- werden
- To become; also future or passive auxiliary verb
- Ihn
- Accusative masculine pronoun meaning 'him'
- finden
- To find, discover, or locate something or someone
- Ich
- First person singular pronoun meaning 'I'
- will
- Modal verb expressing will or intention, 'want to'
- indem
- Subordinating conjunction meaning 'by doing' or 'while'
- ich
- First person singular pronoun meaning 'I'
- anrufe
- First person singular present of 'anrufen', I call upon
- glaube
- First person singular present of 'glauben', I believe
- von
- Preposition meaning 'from', 'of', or 'by'
- gepredigt
- Past participle of 'predigen', meaning preached or proclaimed
- worden
- Past participle of 'werden', used in passive constructions
- Mein
- Possessive pronoun meaning 'my'
- Glaube
- Faith or belief; religious trust or conviction
- wird
- Third person singular of 'werden', meaning 'will' or 'becomes'
- gegeben
- Past participle of 'geben', meaning given or granted
- womit
- Relative or interrogative pronoun meaning 'with which'
- mich
- Accusative first person singular pronoun meaning 'me'
- begeistert
- Inspires or enthuses; filled with spirit or enthusiasm
- durch
- Preposition meaning 'through', 'by means of'
- Menschwerdung
- Incarnation; the becoming human of a divine being
- Deines
- Genitive form of informal possessive 'your'
- Sohnes
- Genitive of 'Sohn', meaning of the son
- Dienst
- Service, duty, or ministry rendered to another
- des
- Genitive definite article meaning 'of the'
- Predigers
- Genitive of 'Prediger', meaning of the preacher
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