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The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 9

English → Spanish 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.

Aun entonces yo tenía ser y vida, y (al término de mi infancia) podía buscar señales con las que dar a conocer a los demás mis sensaciones.

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

¿De dónde podría provenir tal ser, sino de Ti, Señor?

Shall any be his own artificer?

¿Acaso puede alguien ser artífice de sí mismo?

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?

¿O puede acaso derivarse de algún otro lugar alguna vena que vierta en nosotros esencia y vida, sino de Ti, oh Señor, en quien esencia y vida son una sola cosa?

for Thou Thyself art supremely Essence and Life.

Pues Tú mismo eres supremamente Esencia y Vida.

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.

Porque Tú eres altísimo, y no cambias, ni en Ti llega el día de hoy a su fin; pero en Ti llega a su fin, porque todas esas cosas están también en Ti.

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

Pues no tendrían manera de pasar, si Tú no las sostuvieras.

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

Y como Tus años no fallan, Tus años son un solo día de hoy.

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.

Cuántos años nuestros y de nuestros padres han transcurrido a través de Tu «hoy», y de él han recibido la medida y el molde del ser que tuvieron; y aún otros transcurrirán, y así recibirán el molde de su grado de ser.

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.

Pero Tú sigues siendo el mismo, y todas las cosas del mañana, y todas las que están más allá, y todas las del ayer, y todas las que están detrás, Tú las has hecho hoy.

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

¿Qué me importa a mí que alguno no comprenda esto?

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

Que él también se alegre y diga: ¿Qué cosa es esta?

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

¡Que se alegre aun así! y confórmese más bien con no descubrir para descubrirte, que con descubrir para no descubrirte.

Vocabulary

Aun
Even; still; used for emphasis or contrast
entonces
Then; at that time; therefore
yo
I; first-person singular pronoun
tenía
I had; past imperfect of tener
ser
To be; fundamental verb of existence or identity
y
And; basic coordinating conjunction
vida
Life; the state of being alive
al
To the; contraction of a and el
término
End; term; conclusion of a period
de
Of; from; basic preposition of origin or belonging
mi
My; first-person singular possessive adjective
infancia
Childhood; early period of a person's life
podía
I could; past imperfect of poder
buscar
To search for; to look for something
señales
Signs; signals; indicators of something
con
With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means
las
The; feminine plural definite article
que
That; which; who; common relative conjunction
dar
To give; to hand over something to someone
a
To; at; preposition of direction or purpose
conocer
To know; to be acquainted with someone or something
los
The; masculine plural definite article
demás
Others; the rest of people
mis
My; first-person plural possessive adjective
sensaciones
Sensations; feelings perceived through the senses
De
Of; from; preposition of origin or source
dónde
Where; interrogative adverb of place
podría
Could; conditional form of poder
provenir
To come from; to originate from a source
tal
Such; such a; of that kind
sino
But rather; except; used for contrast
Ti
You; second-person singular pronoun after preposition
Señor
Lord; sir; respectful title for a man or God
Acaso
Perhaps; by chance; used in rhetorical questions
puede
Can; is able to; third-person present of poder
alguien
Someone; anybody; indefinite pronoun for a person
artífice
Craftsman; maker; one who creates or fashions something
sí
Himself; herself; itself; reflexive pronoun after preposition
mismo
Himself; same; used for emphasis or reflexivity
O
Or; coordinating conjunction presenting alternatives
acaso
Perhaps; maybe; by any chance
derivarse
To derive; to originate from another source
algún
Some; any; indefinite adjective before masculine noun
otro
Other; another; different one
lugar
Place; location; a specific spot or area
alguna
Some; any; feminine indefinite adjective
vena
Vein; channel carrying blood or fluid
vierta
Pours; subjunctive of verter; to pour out
en
In; on; at; basic preposition of location
nosotros
We; us; first-person plural pronoun
esencia
Essence; the fundamental nature of something
quien
Who; whom; relative pronoun for a person
son
Are; third-person plural present of ser
una
A; one; feminine indefinite article
sola
Only; alone; single; feminine adjective
cosa
Thing; object; something unspecified
Pues
Well; since; because; discourse connector
Tú
You; second-person singular subject pronoun
eres
You are; second-person singular present of ser
supremamente
Supremely; in the highest or utmost degree
Esencia
Essence; fundamental being or nature
Vida
Life; existence; vitality
Porque
Because; since; conjunction giving a reason
altísimo
Most high; superlative of alto; the Almighty
no
No; not; negation particle
cambias
You change; second-person singular present of cambiar
ni
Nor; neither; negative coordinating conjunction
llega
Arrives; reaches; third-person singular of llegar
el
The; masculine singular definite article
día
Day; a 24-hour period of time
hoy
Today; on this present day
su
His; her; its; your; possessive adjective
fin
End; finish; conclusion of something
pero
But; however; adversative conjunction
porque
Because; as; conjunction explaining a reason
todas
All; every; feminine plural adjective of totality
esas
Those; feminine plural demonstrative adjective
cosas
Things; objects; matters
están
Are; third-person plural present of estar
también
Also; too; as well
tendrían
They would have; conditional of tener
manera
Way; manner; method of doing something
pasar
To pass; to happen; to go by
si
If; whether; conditional conjunction
sostuvieras
You would sustain; imperfect subjunctive of sostener
Y
And; coordinating conjunction
como
As; like; since; comparison conjunction
Tus
Your; second-person plural possessive adjective
años
Years; units of time equal to twelve months
fallan
Fail; fall short; third-person plural of fallar
un
A; one; masculine singular indefinite article
solo
Only; alone; just one; single
Cuántos
How many; interrogative adjective of quantity
nuestros
Our; first-person plural possessive adjective
padres
Parents; fathers; ancestors
han
Have; auxiliary verb for perfect tenses
transcurrido
Passed; elapsed; past participle of transcurrir
través
Through; across; used in a través de
Tu
Your; second-person singular possessive adjective
él
He; him; third-person masculine singular pronoun
recibido
Received; past participle of recibir
la
The; feminine singular definite article
medida
Measure; extent; a set quantity or proportion
molde
Mold; template; shape that forms something
del
Of the; contraction of de and el
tuvieron
They had; third-person plural preterite of tener
aún
Still; yet; still continuing up to now
otros
Others; other ones; masculine plural of otro
transcurrirán
Will pass; future tense of transcurrir
así
Thus; so; in this way
recibirán
They will receive; future of recibir
grado
Degree; grade; level or measure of something
Pero
But; however; adversative conjunction
sigues
You continue; you keep on; present of seguir
siendo
Being; present participle of ser
mañana
Tomorrow; the day after today
más
More; most; comparative of quantity or degree
allá
Beyond; over there; at a further place
ayer
Yesterday; the day before today
detrás
Behind; at the back; in the rear
has
You have; second-person singular of haber
hecho
Made; done; past participle of hacer
Qué
What; how; interrogative pronoun or adjective
me
Me; myself; first-person singular object pronoun
importa
Matters; is important; third-person of importar
mí
Me; first-person singular pronoun after preposition
alguno
Someone; any; masculine indefinite pronoun
comprenda
Understands; grasps; subjunctive of comprender
esto
This; neuter demonstrative pronoun for something near
Que
That; let; introducing a subordinate clause
se
Himself; herself; reflexive pronoun for third person
alegre
Rejoices; be glad; subjunctive of alegrarse
diga
Says; tell; subjunctive or imperative of decir
es
Is; third-person singular present of ser
esta
This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective
aun
Even; still; without accent used before gerunds
confórmese
Be content; accept; reflexive imperative of conformarse
bien
Well; good; correctly; in a satisfactory manner
descubrir
To discover; to uncover; to find something unknown
para
For; in order to; preposition of purpose or goal
descubrirte
To discover you; infinitive with reflexive second-person pronoun
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