The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 15

English → Spanish BOOK I Level 9/10

For we feared not our torments less; nor prayed we less to Thee to escape them.

Porque no temíamos menos nuestros tormentos; ni orábamos menos a Ti para escapar de ellos.

And yet we sinned, in writing or reading or studying less than was exacted of us.

Y sin embargo pecábamos, escribiendo o leyendo o estudiando menos de lo que se nos exigía.

For we wanted not, O Lord, memory or capacity, whereof Thy will gave enough for our age; but our sole delight was play; and for this we were punished by those who yet themselves were doing the like.

Pues no nos faltaban, oh Señor, ni memoria ni capacidad, de las cuales Tu voluntad nos dio suficiente para nuestra edad; pero nuestro único deleite era el juego; y por esto éramos castigados por quienes sin embargo hacían ellos mismos lo mismo.

But elder folks' idleness is called "business"; that of boys, being really the same, is punished by those elders; and none commiserates either boys or men.

Pero la ociosidad de los mayores se llama "negocio"; la de los niños, siendo realmente la misma, es castigada por esos mayores; y nadie compadece ni a los niños ni a los hombres.

For will any of sound discretion approve of my being beaten as a boy, because, by playing a ball, I made less progress in studies which I was to learn, only that, as a man, I might play more unbeseemingly?

¿Pues aprobará alguien de sano juicio que me golpearan de niño, porque, jugando a la pelota, avancé menos en los estudios que debía aprender, solo para que, de hombre, pudiera jugar de manera más indecorosa?

and what else did he who beat me? who, if worsted in some trifling discussion with his fellow-tutor, was more embittered and jealous than I when beaten at ball by a play-fellow?

¿y qué otra cosa hacía quien me golpeaba? quien, si era vencido en alguna discusión trivial con su colega preceptor, estaba más amargado y envidioso que yo cuando era vencido en el juego de pelota por un compañero de juegos?

And yet, I sinned herein, O Lord God, the Creator and Disposer of all things in nature, of sin the Disposer only, O Lord my God, I sinned in transgressing the commands of my parents and those of my masters.

Y sin embargo, pequé en esto, oh Señor Dios, el Creador y Ordenador de todas las cosas en la naturaleza, del pecado solo Ordenador, oh Señor mi Dios, pequé transgrediendo los mandatos de mis padres y los de mis maestros.

For what they, with whatever motive, would have me learn, I might afterwards have put to good use.

Pues lo que ellos, con cualquier motivo, querían que aprendiera, podría haberlo puesto después en buen uso.

Vocabulary

Porque: Conjunction meaning 'because,' introducing a cause.
no: Negation word meaning 'no' or 'not.'
temíamos: We feared; past imperfect of 'temer.'
menos: Less or fewer; used in comparisons.
nuestros: Our; masculine plural possessive adjective.
tormentos: Torments or sufferings; intense pain or anguish.
ni: Nor; negative conjunction linking two elements.
orábamos: We prayed; past imperfect of 'orar.'
a: Preposition meaning 'to' or 'at.'
Ti: You; second-person singular pronoun used in prayer.
para: Preposition meaning 'for' or 'in order to.'
escapar: To escape; to flee from danger or difficulty.
de: Preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or 'about.'
ellos: They or them; third-person plural pronoun.
Y: Conjunction meaning 'and,' connecting words or clauses.
sin: Preposition meaning 'without.'
embargo: Used in 'sin embargo,' meaning 'nevertheless' or 'however.'
pecábamos: We sinned; past imperfect of 'pecar.'
escribiendo: Writing; present participle of 'escribir.'
o: Conjunction meaning 'or,' presenting alternatives.
leyendo: Reading; present participle of 'leer.'
estudiando: Studying; present participle of 'estudiar.'
lo: Neuter article or pronoun meaning 'it' or 'the.'
que: Relative pronoun or conjunction meaning 'that' or 'which.'
se: Reflexive pronoun used with verbs; third person.
nos: Us; first-person plural object pronoun.
exigía: Was required or demanded; past imperfect of 'exigir.'
Pues: Well or since; conjunction indicating reason or continuation.
faltaban: Were lacking; past imperfect of 'faltar.'
Señor: Lord or sir; respectful title for God or man.
memoria: Memory; the ability to remember information.
capacidad: Capacity or ability; mental or physical capability.
las: Definite article 'the,' feminine plural form.
cuales: Which; relative pronoun referring to previously mentioned things.
Tu: Your; second-person singular possessive pronoun.
voluntad: Will or desire; determination or divine intention.
dio: Gave; third-person singular preterite of 'dar.'
suficiente: Sufficient or enough; adequate for a purpose.
nuestra: Our; feminine singular first-person possessive adjective.
edad: Age; the number of years someone has lived.
pero: But; conjunction indicating contrast or exception.
nuestro: Our; masculine singular first-person possessive adjective.
único: Only or unique; the sole one of its kind.
deleite: Delight or pleasure; great joy or enjoyment.
era: Was; past imperfect third-person singular of 'ser.'
el: The; masculine singular definite article.
juego: Game or play; recreational activity for enjoyment.
y: And; conjunction connecting words or clauses.
por: For or because of; preposition indicating cause or exchange.
esto: This; neuter demonstrative pronoun referring to something nearby.
éramos: We were; past imperfect first-person plural of 'ser.'
castigados: Punished; past participle of 'castigar,' masculine plural.
quienes: Who; relative pronoun referring to people.
hacían: They did or made; past imperfect of 'hacer.'
mismos: Same or themselves; masculine plural reflexive intensifier.
mismo: Same or itself; reflexive intensifier, masculine singular.
Pero: But; conjunction marking contrast, beginning a new thought.
la: The; feminine singular definite article.
ociosidad: Idleness or laziness; state of being unoccupied.
los: The; masculine plural definite article.
mayores: Adults or elders; those older or of higher rank.
llama: Calls or names; third-person singular present of 'llamar.'
negocio: Business or affair; commercial activity or serious matter.
niños: Children or boys; young male individuals.
siendo: Being; present participle of 'ser.'
realmente: Really or truly; used to emphasize truth.
misma: Same or itself; reflexive intensifier, feminine singular.
es: Is; third-person singular present of 'ser.'
castigada: Punished; past participle of 'castigar,' feminine singular.
esos: Those; masculine plural demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
nadie: Nobody or no one; indefinite negative pronoun.
compadece: Pities or sympathizes; third-person singular of 'compadecer.'
hombres: Men or humans; adult male individuals.
aprobará: Will approve; future tense of 'aprobar.'
alguien: Someone or anybody; indefinite positive pronoun.
sano: Healthy or sound; in good physical or mental condition.
juicio: Judgment or trial; discernment or legal proceeding.
me: Me; first-person singular object pronoun.
golpearan: They would hit; past subjunctive of 'golpear.'
niño: Boy or child; young male individual.
porque: Because; conjunction introducing reason or cause.
jugando: Playing; present participle of 'jugar.'
pelota: Ball; round object used in sports and games.
avancé: I advanced; first-person singular preterite of 'avanzar.'
en: In or on; preposition indicating location or time.
estudios: Studies; academic learning or courses of instruction.
debía: Should or owed; past imperfect of 'deber.'
aprender: To learn; to acquire knowledge or a skill.
solo: Only or alone; without others or exclusively.
hombre: Man; adult male human being.
pudiera: Could or might; past subjunctive of 'poder.'
jugar: To play; to engage in games or sport.
manera: Way or manner; the method of doing something.
más: More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree.
indecorosa: Indecorous or improper; lacking decorum or propriety.
qué: What; interrogative pronoun asking for information.
otra: Other or another; feminine singular adjective of difference.
cosa: Thing; an object, matter, or affair.
hacía: Did or made; past imperfect third-person singular of 'hacer.'
quien: Who; relative pronoun referring to a person.
golpeaba: Was hitting; past imperfect of 'golpear.'
si: If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis.
vencido: Defeated or overcome; past participle of 'vencer.'
alguna: Some or any; feminine singular indefinite adjective.
discusión: Discussion or argument; exchange of differing opinions.
trivial: Trivial or minor; of little importance or significance.
con: With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means.
su: His, her, its, or their; third-person possessive adjective.
colega: Colleague or peer; someone in the same profession.
preceptor: Tutor or teacher; one who instructs privately.
estaba: Was; past imperfect third-person singular of 'estar.'
amargado: Bitter or embittered; resentful due to past grievances.
envidioso: Envious or jealous; feeling resentment at others' success.
yo: I; first-person singular subject pronoun.
cuando: When; conjunction or adverb indicating time.
un: A or an; masculine singular indefinite article.
compañero: Companion or classmate; fellow member of a group.
juegos: Games; plural of 'juego,' recreational activities.
pequé: I sinned; first-person singular preterite of 'pecar.'
Dios: God; the supreme divine being.
Creador: Creator; one who creates, often referring to God.
Ordenador: Orderer or organizer; one who establishes order.
todas: All; feminine plural adjective meaning every one.
cosas: Things; plural of 'cosa,' objects or matters.
naturaleza: Nature; the natural world or innate character of something.
del: Of the; contraction of 'de' and 'el.'
pecado: Sin; a transgression against divine or moral law.
mi: My; first-person singular possessive adjective.
transgrediendo: Transgressing; present participle of 'transgredir.'
mandatos: Mandates or commands; authoritative orders or instructions.
mis: My; first-person singular possessive adjective, plural.
padres: Parents or fathers; those who raise or beget children.
maestros: Teachers or masters; those who instruct others.
cualquier: Any or whatever; indefinite adjective before a noun.
motivo: Motive or reason; cause behind an action.
querían: They wanted; past imperfect of 'querer.'
aprendiera: Would learn; past subjunctive of 'aprender.'
podría: Could; conditional tense of 'poder.'
haberlo: To have it; infinitive 'haber' combined with pronoun 'lo.'
puesto: Put or placed; past participle of 'poner.'
después: After or later; adverb indicating subsequent time.
buen: Good; shortened form of 'bueno' before masculine nouns.
uso: Use; the act of employing something for a purpose.

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