The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 14

English → Spanish BOOK I Level 9/10

For this was judged right by our forefathers; and many, passing the same course before us, framed for us weary paths, through which we were fain to pass; multiplying toil and grief upon the sons of Adam.

Pues esto fue juzgado justo por nuestros antepasados; y muchos, recorriendo el mismo camino antes que nosotros, nos trazaron senderos agotadores, por los cuales estábamos obligados a pasar; multiplicando el trabajo y el dolor sobre los hijos de Adán.

But, Lord, we found that men called upon Thee, and we learnt from them to think of Thee (according to our powers) as of some great One, who, though hidden from our senses, couldest hear and help us.

Pero, Señor, hallamos que los hombres te invocaban, y aprendimos de ellos a pensar en Ti (según nuestras capacidades) como en algún gran Ser, que, aunque oculto a nuestros sentidos, podías escucharnos y ayudarnos.

For so I began, as a boy, to pray to Thee, my aid and refuge; and broke the fetters of my tongue to call on Thee, praying Thee, though small, yet with no small earnestness, that I might not be beaten at school.

Pues así comencé, siendo niño, a rezarte, mi auxilio y refugio; y rompí las ataduras de mi lengua para invocarte, rogándote, aunque pequeño, pero con no poca seriedad, que no me golpearan en la escuela.

And when Thou heardest me not (not thereby giving me over to folly), my elders, yea my very parents, who yet wished me no ill, mocked my stripes, my then great and grievous ill.

Y cuando Tú no me escuchabas (sin entregarme por ello a la necedad), mis mayores, incluso mis propios padres, que sin embargo no me deseaban ningún mal, se burlaban de mis azotes, mi entonces grande y penosa desgracia.

Is there, Lord, any of soul so great, and cleaving to Thee with so intense affection (for a sort of stupidity will in a way do it); but is there any one who, from cleaving devoutly to Thee, is endued with so great a spirit, that he can think as lightly of the racks and hooks and other torments (against which, throughout all lands, men call on Thee with extreme dread), mocking at those by whom they are feared most bitterly, as our parents mocked the torments which we suffered in boyhood from our masters?

¿Hay, Señor, algún alma tan grande, y unida a Ti con tan intensa devoción (pues una cierta insensatez puede lograrlo en cierta manera); pero hay alguien que, por adherirse devotamente a Ti, esté dotado de un espíritu tan grande, que pueda considerar tan ligeramente los potros y los garfios y otros tormentos (contra los cuales, en todas las tierras, los hombres te invocan con extremo terror), burlándose de aquellos por quienes son temidos con mayor amargura, como nuestros padres se burlaban de los tormentos que sufríamos en la infancia a manos de nuestros maestros?

Vocabulary

Pues: Well, then; used as a filler or connector
esto: This; neuter demonstrative pronoun referring to something nearby
fue: Was or went; third-person singular preterite of ser/ir
juzgado: Judged; past participle of juzgar, to judge
justo: Just, fair, righteous; conforming to moral correctness
por: By, for, through; versatile preposition indicating cause or means
nuestros: Our; first-person plural masculine possessive adjective
antepasados: Ancestors, forebears; people from whom one is descended
y: And; basic coordinating conjunction linking words or clauses
muchos: Many; plural adjective indicating a large number
recorriendo: Traveling through, covering; present participle of recorrer
el: The; masculine singular definite article
mismo: Same, himself; adjective emphasizing identity or sameness
camino: Road, path, way; a route or course traveled
antes: Before, previously; adverb indicating prior time
que: That, than, who; versatile conjunction or relative pronoun
nosotros: We, us; first-person plural subject pronoun
nos: Us, ourselves; first-person plural object or reflexive pronoun
trazaron: They traced, mapped out; preterite of trazar
senderos: Paths, trails, footpaths; narrow routes through terrain
agotadores: Exhausting, draining; causing great fatigue or weariness
los: The; masculine plural definite article or object pronoun
cuales: Which; plural relative pronoun referring to previously mentioned things
estábamos: We were; first-person plural imperfect of estar
obligados: Obligated, forced; compelled to do something
a: To, at; preposition indicating direction or purpose
pasar: To pass, go through, happen; common versatile verb
multiplicando: Multiplying, increasing; present participle of multiplicar
trabajo: Work, labor, toil; effort or employment activity
dolor: Pain, sorrow, grief; physical or emotional suffering
sobre: Over, on, about; preposition indicating position or topic
hijos: Sons, children; offspring or descendants of someone
de: Of, from; preposition indicating origin or possession
Pero: But; coordinating conjunction indicating contrast or exception
Señor: Lord, sir, mister; title of respect or divine address
hallamos: We found, encountered; preterite of hallar
hombres: Men, humans; plural of hombre, adult male or person
te: You; second-person singular direct or indirect object pronoun
invocaban: They invoked, called upon; imperfect of invocar
aprendimos: We learned; first-person plural preterite of aprender
ellos: They, them; third-person plural subject pronoun
pensar: To think, consider; infinitive of common cognitive verb
en: In, on, at; preposition indicating location or state
Ti: You; stressed second-person singular pronoun after preposition
según: According to, depending on; preposition indicating reference
nuestras: Our; first-person plural feminine possessive adjective
capacidades: Capacities, abilities, capabilities; plural of capacidad
como: As, like, how; conjunction or adverb of comparison
algún: Some, any; masculine singular indefinite adjective before noun
gran: Great, grand; adjective indicating greatness or importance
Ser: Being, entity; noun referring to a living or divine being
aunque: Although, even though; concessive conjunction introducing contrast
oculto: Hidden, concealed, occult; not visible or revealed
sentidos: Senses; the faculties of perception like sight or hearing
podías: You could; second-person singular imperfect of poder
escucharnos: To listen to us; infinitive of escuchar with us pronoun
ayudarnos: To help us; infinitive of ayudar with us pronoun attached
así: So, thus, like this; adverb indicating manner or result
comencé: I began, I started; first-person singular preterite of comenzar
siendo: Being; present participle of ser, used in progressive forms
niño: Boy, child; young male person or child generally
rezarte: To pray to you; infinitive of rezar with you pronoun
mi: My; first-person singular possessive adjective
auxilio: Help, aid, assistance; urgent support in time of need
refugio: Refuge, shelter; a place of safety or protection
rompí: I broke; first-person singular preterite of romper
las: The; feminine plural definite article or object pronoun
ataduras: Bonds, ties, shackles; things that bind or restrain someone
lengua: Tongue, language; organ of speech or a spoken language
para: For, in order to; preposition indicating purpose or destination
invocarte: To invoke you, call upon you; infinitive with you pronoun
rogándote: Begging you, pleading with you; present participle of rogar
pequeño: Small, little, young; adjective indicating small size or age
con: With; preposition indicating accompaniment or instrument
no: No, not; basic negation word
poca: Little, few; feminine singular adjective indicating small amount
seriedad: Seriousness, gravity; quality of being earnest or solemn
me: Me, myself; first-person singular reflexive or object pronoun
golpearan: They would beat, hit; imperfect subjunctive of golpear
la: The; feminine singular definite article or object pronoun
escuela: School; an institution for education and learning
Y: And; coordinating conjunction linking clauses or ideas
cuando: When; conjunction or adverb indicating time
Tú: You; second-person singular subject pronoun, stressed form
escuchabas: You were listening; second-person singular imperfect of escuchar
sin: Without; preposition indicating absence or lack of something
entregarme: To hand me over, deliver me; infinitive with me pronoun
ello: It, that; neuter third-person singular pronoun for abstract things
necedad: Foolishness, stupidity; quality of being foolish or senseless
mis: My; first-person plural possessive adjective, plural form
mayores: Elders, superiors, adults; those older or of higher rank
incluso: Even, including; adverb emphasizing inclusion or unexpected addition
propios: Own; adjective emphasizing personal possession or belonging
padres: Parents, fathers; plural referring to mother and father
embargo: Sin embargo: nevertheless, however; adverbial phrase of contrast
deseaban: They desired, wished; third-person plural imperfect of desear
ningún: No, none, not any; negative masculine singular adjective
mal: Evil, bad, harm; something morally wrong or harmful
se: Himself, herself, themselves; reflexive third-person pronoun
burlaban: They mocked, made fun of; imperfect of burlarse
azotes: Lashes, floggings, spankings; blows given as punishment
entonces: Then, at that time; adverb indicating sequence or consequence
grande: Great, large, big; adjective indicating size or importance
penosa: Painful, distressing, grievous; causing pain or sorrow
desgracia: Misfortune, disgrace, misery; an unfortunate or shameful event
Hay: There is, there are; impersonal form of haber indicating existence
alma: Soul; the spiritual or immaterial part of a person
tan: So, as, such; adverb intensifying an adjective or adverb
unida: United, joined, connected; feminine past participle of unir
intensa: Intense, strong; feminine adjective indicating great force or feeling
devoción: Devotion, piety; deep dedication or religious fervor
pues: Well, since, for; filler or causal conjunction in speech
una: A, one; feminine singular indefinite article or numeral
cierta: Certain, a certain; feminine adjective indicating a particular thing
insensatez: Foolishness, senselessness; lack of good sense or judgment
puede: Can, is able to; third-person singular present of poder
lograrlo: To achieve it, accomplish it; infinitive of lograr with it
manera: Manner, way; the mode or method in which something is done
hay: There is, there are; impersonal form of haber
alguien: Someone, anybody; indefinite pronoun referring to a person
adherirse: To adhere, cling, attach oneself; reflexive infinitive of adherir
devotamente: Devoutly, piously; adverb describing deeply religious manner
esté: Be; third-person singular present subjunctive of estar
dotado: Gifted, endowed; having been given a natural talent or quality
un: A, one; masculine singular indefinite article or numeral
espíritu: Spirit, soul, mind; immaterial essence or ghost of a being
pueda: Can, be able to; third-person singular present subjunctive of poder
considerar: To consider, regard; to think carefully about something
ligeramente: Lightly, slightly; adverb indicating minimal weight or importance
potros: Colts; young male horses; also torture racks historically
garfios: Hooks, grappling hooks; sharp curved metal instruments
otros: Other, others; adjective or pronoun indicating different ones
tormentos: Torments, tortures; severe physical or mental suffering
contra: Against; preposition indicating opposition or physical contact
todas: All; feminine plural adjective indicating entirety
tierras: Lands, territories, earth; plural of tierra
invocan: They invoke, call upon; third-person plural present of invocar
extremo: Extreme, utmost, end; at the highest degree or far point
terror: Terror, dread, horror; intense overwhelming fear
burlándose: Mocking, making fun; present participle of burlarse reflexive
aquellos: Those; masculine plural demonstrative adjective or pronoun
quienes: Who, whom; plural relative pronoun referring to people
son: They are; third-person plural present tense of ser
temidos: Feared; masculine plural past participle of temer
mayor: Greater, older, larger; comparative adjective of grande
amargura: Bitterness, grief; deep emotional pain or resentment
sufríamos: We suffered; first-person plural imperfect of sufrir
infancia: Childhood, infancy; early period of a person's life
manos: Hands; plural of mano, the body part at end of arm
maestros: Teachers, masters; those who teach or have mastered a skill

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