The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 9

English → Fr 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.

Même alors j'avais l'être et la vie, et (à la fin de ma petite enfance) je pouvais chercher des signes par lesquels faire connaître aux autres mes sensations.

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

D'où un tel être pourrait-il venir, sinon de Toi, Seigneur ?

Shall any be his own artificer?

Quelqu'un pourrait-il être son propre artisan ?

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?

ou peut-on trouver ailleurs quelque source qui puisse faire couler en nous l'essence et la vie, sinon de Toi, ô Seigneur, en qui l'essence et la vie ne font qu'un ?

for Thou Thyself art supremely Essence and Life.

car Toi-même Tu es souverainement l'Essence et la Vie.

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.

Car Tu es le Très-Haut, et Tu ne changes pas, et en Toi le jour d'aujourd'hui ne s'achève pas ; et pourtant en Toi il s'achève ; parce que toutes ces choses sont aussi en Toi.

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

Car elles n'auraient aucun moyen de s'écouler, si Tu ne les soutenais.

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

Et puisque Tes années ne défaillent pas, Tes années ne font qu'un seul aujourd'hui.

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.

Combien d'années, des nôtres et de celles de nos pères, se sont écoulées à travers Ton « aujourd'hui », et ont reçu de lui la mesure et le moule de l'être qu'elles avaient ; et d'autres encore s'écouleront, et recevront ainsi le moule de leur degré d'être.

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.

Mais Toi Tu demeures toujours le même, et toutes les choses de demain, et tout ce qui est au-delà, et toutes les choses d'hier, et tout ce qui est en deçà, Tu les as accomplies aujourd'hui.

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

Qu'est-ce que cela me fait, si quelqu'un ne comprend pas ceci ?

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

Qu'il se réjouisse lui aussi et dise : Qu'est-ce que cela ?

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

Qu'il se réjouisse même ainsi ! et qu'il se contente plutôt de ne pas découvrir pour Te découvrir, que de découvrir pour ne pas Te découvrir.

Vocabulary

Même: mɛm — Even; same; used for emphasis or comparison.
alors: alɔʁ — Then; at that time; so; therefore.
j': ʒ — I; first-person singular pronoun before vowel.
avais: avɛ — Had; past imperfect form of avoir.
l': l — The; elided definite article before vowel sound.
être: ɛtʁ — To be; fundamental linking verb in French.
et: e — And; basic coordinating conjunction joining elements.
la: la — The; feminine singular definite article.
vie: vi — Life; the state of being alive.
à: a — To; at; preposition indicating direction or location.
fin: fɛ̃ — End; the concluding part of something.
de: də — Of; from; preposition expressing possession or origin.
ma: ma — My; first-person singular feminine possessive adjective.
petite: pətit — Small; little; feminine form of petit.
enfance: ɑ̃fɑ̃s — Childhood; the early period of one's life.
je: ʒə — I; first-person singular subject pronoun.
pouvais: puvɛ — Could; past imperfect of pouvoir, to be able.
chercher: ʃɛʁʃe — To search; to look for something or someone.
des: de — Some; plural indefinite article or partitive form.
signes: siɲ — Signs; signals; indications communicating meaning to others.
par: paʁ — By; through; preposition indicating means or agent.
lesquels: lekɛl — Which; masculine plural relative or interrogative pronoun.
faire: fɛʁ — To do; to make; essential versatile French verb.
connaître: kɔnɛtʁ — To know; to be acquainted with someone or something.
aux: o — To the; at the; contraction of à and les.
autres: otʁ — Others; other people; the rest of them.
mes: me — My; first-person singular plural possessive adjective.
sensations: sɑ̃sasjɔ̃ — Sensations; feelings perceived through the physical senses.
D': d — Of; from; elided preposition before vowel sound.
où: u — Where; relative or interrogative adverb of place.
un: œ̃ — A; one; masculine singular indefinite article.
tel: tɛl — Such; of this kind or nature; so great.
pourrait: puʁɛ — Could; conditional form of pouvoir, to be able.
il: il — He; it; third-person masculine singular subject pronoun.
venir: vəniʁ — To come; to arrive from somewhere or something.
sinon: sinɔ̃ — Otherwise; if not; except; used in conditional contexts.
Toi: twa — You; emphatic second-person singular pronoun.
Seigneur: sɛɲœʁ — Lord; title of God or a noble master.
Quelqu': kɛlk — Someone; some; elided form of quelque before vowel.
son: sɔ̃ — His; her; its; third-person singular possessive adjective.
propre: pʁɔpʁ — Own; clean; proper; belonging exclusively to oneself.
artisan: aʁtizɑ̃ — Craftsman; artisan; one who creates with skill.
ou: u — Or; conjunction presenting an alternative choice.
peut: pø — Can; may; third-person singular present of pouvoir.
on: ɔ̃ — One; we; people; impersonal subject pronoun.
trouver: tʁuve — To find; to discover something or someone.
ailleurs: ajœʁ — Elsewhere; in another place; somewhere else.
quelque: kɛlkə — Some; a few; an unspecified amount or number.
source: suʁs — Source; spring; origin of water or information.
qui: ki — Who; which; relative or interrogative subject pronoun.
puisse: pɥis — Can; may; present subjunctive form of pouvoir.
couler: kule — To flow; to run; said of liquid moving.
en: ɑ̃ — In; into; some; preposition or pronoun of place.
nous: nu — We; us; first-person plural subject or object pronoun.
essence: esɑ̃s — Essence; fundamental nature or being of something.
ne: nə — Not; negative particle used with pas or other negators.
font: fɔ̃ — Make; do; third-person plural present of faire.
qu': k — That; than; elided conjunction or pronoun before vowel.
car: kaʁ — Because; for; coordinating conjunction explaining a reason.
même: mɛm — Even; same; used for emphasis or identity.
Tu: ty — You; second-person singular informal subject pronoun.
es: ɛ — Are; second-person singular present of être.
souverainement: suvʁɛnmɑ̃ — Sovereignly; supremely; in an absolute, supreme manner.
Essence: esɑ̃s — Essence; supreme being; fundamental divine existence.
Vie: vi — Life; divine or eternal life; living existence.
Car: kaʁ — Because; for; conjunction giving reason or explanation.
le: lə — The; masculine singular definite article.
Très: tʁɛ — Very; Most; used to intensify a following adjective.
Haut: o — High; Most High; referring to God's supreme elevation.
changes: ʃɑ̃ʒ — Changes; second-person singular present of changer.
pas: pa — Not; step; negative particle used with ne.
jour: ʒuʁ — Day; a period of twenty-four hours.
d': d — Of; from; elided preposition before vowel sound.
aujourd': oʒuʁd — Today; at present; part of aujourd'hui meaning today.
s': s — Himself; herself; reflexive pronoun elided before vowel.
achève: aʃɛv — Ends; finishes; third-person singular present of achever.
pourtant: puʁtɑ̃ — Yet; however; nevertheless; expressing contrast or concession.
parce: paʁsə — Because; part of parce que, causal conjunction.
que: kə — That; which; what; subordinating conjunction or pronoun.
toutes: tut — All; every; feminine plural form of tout.
ces: se — These; those; plural demonstrative adjective.
choses: ʃoz — Things; objects; matters of any kind.
sont: sɔ̃ — Are; third-person plural present of être.
aussi: osi — Also; too; as well; likewise; in addition.
elles: ɛl — They; third-person feminine plural subject pronoun.
n': n — Not; elided negative particle before vowel sound.
auraient: oʁɛ — Would have; conditional of avoir, third-person plural.
aucun: okœ̃ — No; none; not any; negative indefinite adjective.
moyen: mwajɛ̃ — Means; way; method for achieving something.
écouler: ekule — To flow; to pass; to elapse over time.
si: si — If; so; conditional or intensifying conjunction.
les: le — The; plural definite article for all genders.
soutenais: sutənɛ — Sustained; supported; past imperfect of soutenir.
Et: e — And; coordinating conjunction joining clauses or words.
puisque: pɥiskə — Since; seeing that; causal subordinating conjunction.
Tes: te — Your; second-person singular plural possessive adjective.
années: ane — Years; plural of année; periods of twelve months.
défaillent: defajɛ̃t — Fail; weaken; third-person plural of défaillir.
seul: sœl — Alone; only; single; without others present.
Combien: kɔ̃bjɛ̃ — How many; how much; interrogative of quantity.
nôtres: notʁ — Ours; first-person plural possessive pronoun.
celles: sɛl — Those; feminine plural demonstrative pronoun.
nos: no — Our; first-person plural possessive adjective.
pères: pɛʁ — Fathers; male parents or ancestors.
se: sə — Himself; herself; themselves; reflexive pronoun.
écoulées: ekule — Flowed; elapsed; feminine past participle of s'écouler.
travers: tʁavɛʁ — Through; across; used in à travers meaning through.
Ton: tɔ̃ — Your; second-person singular masculine possessive adjective.
ont: ɔ̃ — Have; third-person plural present of avoir.
reçu: ʁəsy — Received; past participle of recevoir.
lui: lɥi — Him; to him; third-person singular indirect pronoun.
mesure: məzyʁ — Measure; extent; degree; a unit of measurement.
moule: mul — Mold; form; shape used to cast something.
avaient: avɛ — Had; third-person plural past imperfect of avoir.
encore: ɑ̃kɔʁ — Still; yet; again; expressing continuation or repetition.
écouleront: ekulʁɔ̃ — Will flow; future tense of s'écouler, third plural.
recevront: ʁəsɛvʁɔ̃ — Will receive; future tense of recevoir, third plural.
ainsi: ɛ̃si — Thus; so; in this way; consequently.
leur: lœʁ — Their; to them; possessive or indirect object pronoun.
degré: dəɡʁe — Degree; level; step; a measure of intensity.
Mais: mɛ — But; however; coordinating conjunction showing contrast.
demeures: dəmœʁ — Remain; dwell; second-person singular present of demeurer.
toujours: tuʒuʁ — Always; still; ever; at all times without exception.
demain: dəmɛ̃ — Tomorrow; the day following today.
tout: tu — All; everything; every; completely; entirely.
ce: sə — This; that; it; neuter demonstrative pronoun or adjective.
est: ɛ — Is; third-person singular present of être.
au: o — To the; at the; contraction of à and le.
delà: dəla — Beyond; on the other side; further past something.
hier: jɛʁ — Yesterday; the day before today.
deçà: dəsa — On this side; below; nearer than something else.
as: a — Have; second-person singular present of avoir.
accomplies: akɔ̃pli — Accomplished; fulfilled; feminine plural past participle.
Qu': k — That; what; elided conjunction before vowel sound.
cela: səla — That; this; referring to something previously mentioned.
me: mə — Me; myself; first-person singular object pronoun.
fait: fɛ — Makes; does; third-person singular present of faire.
quelqu': kɛlk — Someone; whoever; indefinite pronoun elided before vowel.
comprend: kɔ̃pʁɑ̃ — Understands; third-person singular present of comprendre.
ceci: səsi — This; this thing; near demonstrative pronoun.
réjouisse: ʁeʒwis — Rejoice; present subjunctive of se réjouir.
dise: diz — Say; speak; present subjunctive form of dire.
contente: kɔ̃tɑ̃t — Content; satisfied; happy; feminine form of content.
plutôt: plyto — Rather; instead; somewhat; preferably over something else.
découvrir: dekuvʁiʁ — To discover; to uncover something previously unknown.
pour: puʁ — For; in order to; preposition of purpose or benefit.
Te: tə — You; yourself; second-person singular reflexive object pronoun.

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