The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 9

English → De BOOK I Level 9/10

Even then I had being and life, and (at my infancy's close) I could seek for signs whereby to make known to others my sensations.

Auch damals hatte ich Sein und Leben, und (am Ende meiner Kindheit) konnte ich nach Zeichen suchen, um anderen meine Empfindungen kundzutun.

Whence could such a being be, save from Thee, Lord?

Woher könnte ein solches Wesen stammen, außer von Dir, Herr?

Shall any be his own artificer?

Soll jemand sein eigener Schöpfer sein?

or can there elsewhere be derived any vein, which may stream essence and life into us, save from thee, O Lord, in whom essence and life are one?

Oder kann anderswoher eine Ader entspringen, die Wesen und Leben in uns strömen lässt, außer von Dir, o Herr, in dem Wesen und Leben eins sind?

for Thou Thyself art supremely Essence and Life.

Denn Du selbst bist in höchstem Maße Wesen und Leben.

For Thou art most high, and art not changed, neither in Thee doth to-day come to a close; yet in Thee doth it come to a close; because all such things also are in Thee.

Denn Du bist der Allerhöchste und wirst nicht verändert, noch geht in Dir das Heute zu Ende; und doch geht es in Dir zu Ende, weil all solche Dinge auch in Dir sind.

For they had no way to pass away, unless Thou upheldest them.

Denn sie hätten keine Möglichkeit zu vergehen, wenn Du sie nicht aufrechterhalten würdest.

And since Thy years fail not, Thy years are one to-day.

Und da Deine Jahre nicht vergehen, sind Deine Jahre ein einziges Heute.

How many of ours and our fathers' years have flowed away through Thy "to-day," and from it received the measure and the mould of such being as they had; and still others shall flow away, and so receive the mould of their degree of being.

Wie viele unserer Jahre und die unserer Väter sind durch Dein „Heute" dahingeflossen und haben von ihm das Maß und die Form jenes Seins empfangen, das sie hatten; und noch andere werden dahinfließen und so die Form ihres Grades des Seins empfangen.

But Thou art still the same, and all things of tomorrow, and all beyond, and all of yesterday, and all behind it, Thou hast done to-day.

Aber Du bist noch immer derselbe, und alle Dinge des Morgen, und alles darüber hinaus, und alle Dinge des Gestern, und alles dahinter, hast Du heute getan.

What is it to me, though any comprehend not this?

Was liegt mir daran, wenn irgend jemand dies nicht begreift?

Let him also rejoice and say, What thing is this?

Er möge sich auch freuen und sagen: Was ist das?

Let him rejoice even thus! and be content rather by not discovering to discover Thee, than by discovering not to discover Thee.

Er möge sich selbst so freuen! und sich damit begnügen, Dich durch Nicht-Entdecken zu entdecken, als durch Entdecken Dich nicht zu entdecken.

Vocabulary

Auch: Also; too; as well
damals: Back then; at that time; in those days
hatte: Had (past tense of haben)
ich: I (first person singular pronoun)
Sein: Being; existence; to be (noun or infinitive)
und: And (conjunction)
Leben: Life; to live (noun or infinitive)
am: At the; on the (contraction: an + dem)
Ende: End; conclusion; at the end
meiner: My; of mine (possessive adjective)
Kindheit: Childhood; the period of being a child
konnte: Could; was able to (past tense of können)
nach: After; to; toward; according to
Zeichen: Sign; signal; mark; indication
suchen: To seek; to search; to look for
um: Around; about; in order to (preposition)
anderen: Others; other people; different ones
meine: My; mine (possessive adjective)
Empfindungen: Feelings; sensations; emotions; impressions
Woher: Where from; from where; whence
könnte: Could; might; would be able to
ein: A; an; one (indefinite article)
solches: Such; of such a kind; such a thing
Wesen: Being; creature; essence; nature
stammen: To originate; to come from; to descend
außer: Except; besides; outside of; apart from
von: From; of; by (preposition)
Dir: You (second person singular dative/accusative)
Herr: Lord; sir; mister; gentleman
Soll: Shall; should; is supposed to
jemand: Someone; anybody; anyone (indefinite pronoun)
sein: To be; his; its (verb or possessive)
eigener: Own; one's own; personal
Schöpfer: Creator; maker; founder (noun)
Oder: Or (conjunction); River Oder
kann: Can; is able to; may (present tense)
eine: A; an; one (indefinite article feminine)
Ader: Vein; artery; seam; streak
die: The; that; which; who (article/pronoun)
in: In; into; within (preposition)
uns: Us; ourselves (first person plural pronoun)
strömen: To flow; to stream; to pour
lässt: Lets; allows; has (third person singular)
dem: That; the; which (dative article)
eins: One; one thing; united (numeral)
sind: Are (second person plural or third person)
Denn: For; because; then (conjunction)
Du: You (second person singular informal)
selbst: Self; yourself; even; alone
bist: Are (second person singular of sein)
höchstem: Highest; supreme; utmost (superlative dative)
Maße: Measure; degree; extent; proportion
der: The; that; which; who (article)
wirst: Will be (second person singular future)
nicht: Not; no (negation)
verändert: Changed; altered; modified (past participle)
noch: Still; yet; nor; furthermore
geht: Goes; walks; is going (third person)
das: That; the; which (neuter article)
Heute: Today; the present (time noun)
zu: To; at; too; closed (preposition)
doch: Yet; but; however; still
es: It; that (third person singular pronoun)
weil: Because; since (conjunction)
all: All; everything (indefinite pronoun/determiner)
solche: Such; such things; those (demonstrative)
Dinge: Things; matters; items; affairs
hätten: Would have; had (conditional/subjunctive)
keine: No; not a; not any (negative article)
Möglichkeit: Possibility; possibility; chance; opportunity
vergehen: To pass; to fade; to elapse
wenn: If; when; whenever (conjunction)
aufrechterhalten: To maintain; to uphold; to sustain
würdest: Would (second person singular conditional)

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