The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 8

English → It BOOK I Level 9/10

But Thou, Lord, who for ever livest, and in whom nothing dies: for before the foundation of the worlds, and before all that can be called "before," Thou art, and art God and Lord of all which Thou hast created: in Thee abide, fixed for ever, the first causes of all things unabiding; and of all things changeable, the springs abide in Thee unchangeable: and in Thee live the eternal reasons of all things unreasoning and temporal.

Ma Tu, Signore, che vivi in eterno, e in cui nulla muore: poiché prima della fondazione dei mondi, e prima di tutto ciò che può chiamarsi "prima," Tu sei, e sei Dio e Signore di tutto ciò che hai creato: in Te dimorano, fissate per sempre, le prime cause di tutte le cose non permanenti; e di tutte le cose mutevoli, le sorgenti dimorano in Te immutabili: e in Te vivono le ragioni eterne di tutte le cose prive di ragione e temporali.

Say, Lord, to me, Thy suppliant; say, all-pitying, to me, Thy pitiable one; say, did my infancy succeed another age of mine that died before it?

Dimmi, Signore, a me, Tuo supplice; dimmi, o misericordiosissimo, a me, Tua miserabile creatura; dimmi, la mia infanzia è succeduta a un'altra mia età che è morta prima di essa?

was it that which I spent within my mother's womb?

Fu quella che trascorsi nel grembo di mia madre?

for of that I have heard somewhat, and have myself seen women with child?

Poiché di ciò ho sentito qualcosa, e io stesso ho visto donne incinte?

and what before that life again, O God my joy, was I any where or any body?

E prima ancora di quella vita, o Dio mia gioia, ero io in qualche luogo o ero qualcuno?

For this have I none to tell me, neither father nor mother, nor experience of others, nor mine own memory.

Di questo non ho nessuno che me lo dica, né padre né madre, né l'esperienza altrui, né la mia propria memoria.

Dost Thou mock me for asking this, and bid me praise Thee and acknowledge Thee, for that I do know?

Ti fai beffe di me per aver chiesto questo, e mi ordini di lodarTi e di riconoscerti, per ciò che invece so?

I acknowledge Thee, Lord of heaven and earth, and praise Thee for my first rudiments of being, and my infancy, whereof I remember nothing; for Thou hast appointed that man should from others guess much as to himself; and believe much on the strength of weak females.

Ti riconosco, Signore del cielo e della terra, e Ti lodo per i miei primi rudimenti dell'essere, e per la mia infanzia, della quale non ricordo nulla; poiché Tu hai stabilito che l'uomo dovesse dagli altri arguire molto riguardo a sé stesso; e credere molto sulla testimonianza di deboli donne.

Vocabulary

Ma: Conjunction meaning 'but', used to contrast ideas.
Tu: Second person singular pronoun meaning 'you'.
Signore: Noun meaning 'Lord' or formal title 'Mister'.
che: Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that', 'which', or 'who'.
vivi: Second person singular of 'vivere'; 'you live'.
in: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'into'.
eterno: Adjective meaning 'eternal', lasting forever without end.
e: Conjunction meaning 'and', connecting words or clauses.
cui: Relative pronoun meaning 'whom', 'which', or 'whose'.
nulla: Pronoun or noun meaning 'nothing', complete absence of anything.
muore: Third person singular of 'morire'; 'dies' or 'perishes'.
poiché: Conjunction meaning 'since' or 'because', introducing a reason.
prima: Adverb or adjective meaning 'before' or 'first'.
della: Contraction of 'di' and 'la', meaning 'of the'.
fondazione: Noun meaning 'foundation', the act of establishing something.
dei: Contraction of 'di' and 'i', meaning 'of the' (masculine plural).
mondi: Plural noun meaning 'worlds' or 'universes'.
di: Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'.
tutto: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all', 'everything', or 'whole'.
ciò: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'that thing'.
può: Third person singular of 'potere'; 'can' or 'is able to'.
chiamarsi: Reflexive infinitive meaning 'to be called' or 'named'.
sei: Second person singular of 'essere'; 'you are'.
Dio: Noun meaning 'God', the supreme divine being.
hai: Second person singular of 'avere'; 'you have'.
creato: Past participle of 'creare'; meaning 'created' or 'made'.
Te: Stressed pronoun meaning 'you', used for emphasis or after prepositions.
fissate: Adjective meaning 'fixed', 'established', or 'set firmly'.
per: Preposition meaning 'for', 'through', or 'by means of'.
sempre: Adverb meaning 'always' or 'forever'.
le: Definite article for feminine plural nouns, meaning 'the'.
prime: Feminine plural of 'primo', meaning 'first' or 'original'.
cause: Plural noun meaning 'causes' or 'reasons' behind events.
tutte: Feminine plural of 'tutto', meaning 'all' or 'every'.
cose: Plural noun meaning 'things' or 'matters'.
non: Negation adverb meaning 'not', used to negate verbs.
permanenti: Adjective meaning 'permanent', lasting without change over time.
mutevoli: Adjective meaning 'changeable', subject to frequent alteration.
sorgenti: Noun meaning 'springs' or 'sources', origins of something.
immutabili: Adjective meaning 'immutable', unable to be changed or altered.
vivono: Third person plural of 'vivere'; 'they live' or 'exist'.
ragioni: Plural noun meaning 'reasons', 'rationales', or 'arguments'.
eterne: Feminine plural of 'eterno', meaning 'eternal' or 'everlasting'.
prive: Feminine plural of 'privo', meaning 'devoid of' or 'lacking'.
ragione: Noun meaning 'reason', rational thought or justification.
temporali: Adjective meaning 'temporal', relating to time rather than eternity.
Dimmi: Imperative of 'dire' with 'mi'; 'tell me'.
a: Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'.
me: Stressed first person pronoun meaning 'me'.
Tuo: Possessive adjective meaning 'your', singular possessive form.
o: Interjection 'O' used to address someone; or conjunction 'or'.
Tua: Feminine possessive adjective meaning 'your'.
miserabile: Adjective meaning 'miserable', wretched, or pitiable.
creatura: Noun meaning 'creature', a being created by another.
la: Definite article for feminine singular nouns, meaning 'the'.
mia: Feminine possessive pronoun meaning 'my'.
infanzia: Noun meaning 'infancy' or 'childhood', early stage of life.
è: Third person singular of 'essere'; 'is'.
succeduta: Past participle of 'succedere'; 'followed' or 'succeeded'.
un': Feminine indefinite article before vowels, meaning 'a' or 'an'.
altra: Feminine adjective meaning 'another' or 'other'.
età: Noun meaning 'age' or 'era', a period of life or time.
morta: Feminine adjective meaning 'dead', no longer living.
essa: Third person feminine pronoun meaning 'she' or 'it'.
Fu: Third person singular past tense of 'essere'; 'was'.
quella: Feminine demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that' or 'that one'.
trascorsi: Past participle of 'trascorrere'; 'spent' or 'passed' (time).
nel: Contraction of 'in' and 'il', meaning 'in the'.
grembo: Noun meaning 'womb' or 'lap', a protective enclosing space.
madre: Noun meaning 'mother', a female parent.
Poiché: Conjunction meaning 'since' or 'because', giving a reason.
ho: First person singular of 'avere'; 'I have'.
sentito: Past participle of 'sentire'; 'heard', 'felt', or 'perceived'.
qualcosa: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'something', an unspecified thing.
io: First person singular pronoun meaning 'I'.
stesso: Adjective meaning 'same' or 'himself/itself', used for emphasis.
visto: Past participle of 'vedere'; 'seen' or 'witnessed'.
donne: Plural noun meaning 'women', adult female persons.
incinte: Adjective meaning 'pregnant', carrying an unborn child.
E: Conjunction meaning 'and', linking words or clauses.
ancora: Adverb meaning 'still', 'yet', or 'again'.
vita: Noun meaning 'life', the state of being alive.
gioia: Noun meaning 'joy' or 'delight', a feeling of great happiness.
ero: First person singular imperfect of 'essere'; 'I was'.
qualche: Indefinite adjective meaning 'some' or 'a few'.
luogo: Noun meaning 'place', a specific location or spot.
qualcuno: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'someone' or 'somebody'.
Di: Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'.
questo: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'this one'.
nessuno: Pronoun meaning 'nobody', 'no one', or 'none'.
lo: Third person masculine singular direct object pronoun, 'him' or 'it'.
dica: Third person singular present subjunctive of 'dire'; 'may say'.
né: Conjunction meaning 'neither' or 'nor', used in negation.
padre: Noun meaning 'father', a male parent or paternal figure.
l': Definite article elided before vowel, meaning 'the'.
esperienza: Noun meaning 'experience', knowledge gained through practice.
altrui: Pronoun meaning 'others'', belonging or relating to other people.
propria: Feminine adjective meaning 'own', belonging to oneself.
memoria: Noun meaning 'memory', ability to recall past experiences.
Ti: Second person singular reflexive or indirect object pronoun, 'you'.
fai: Second person singular of 'fare'; 'you make' or 'you do'.
aver: Shortened infinitive of 'avere', used before past participle.
chiesto: Past participle of 'chiedere'; 'asked' or 'requested'.
mi: First person singular pronoun 'me' or reflexive 'myself'.
ordini: Second person singular present of 'ordinare'; 'you order'.
invece: Adverb meaning 'instead' or 'on the contrary'.
so: First person singular of 'sapere'; 'I know'.
riconosco: First person singular of 'riconoscere'; 'I recognize' or 'acknowledge'.
del: Contraction of 'di' and 'il', meaning 'of the'.
cielo: Noun meaning 'sky' or 'heaven'.
terra: Noun meaning 'earth', 'land', or 'ground'.
lodo: First person singular of 'lodare'; 'I praise'.
i: Definite article for masculine plural nouns, meaning 'the'.
miei: Masculine plural possessive adjective meaning 'my'.
primi: Masculine plural of 'primo', meaning 'first' or 'initial'.
dell': Contraction of 'di' and 'l'', meaning 'of the' before vowel.
essere: Infinitive meaning 'to be'; also noun meaning 'being' or 'existence'.
quale: Relative pronoun or adjective meaning 'which', 'what', or 'who'.
ricordo: Noun meaning 'memory' or 'recollection'; verb 'I remember'.
stabilito: Past participle of 'stabilire'; 'established', 'decided', or 'fixed'.
uomo: Noun meaning 'man' or 'human being'.
dovesse: Third person singular imperfect subjunctive of 'dovere'; 'should'.
dagli: Contraction of 'da' and 'gli', meaning 'from the' (masculine plural).
altri: Plural pronoun or adjective meaning 'others' or 'other people'.
molto: Adverb or adjective meaning 'much', 'very', or 'a lot'.
riguardo: Noun meaning 'regard', 'respect', or 'consideration'.
sé: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself', 'herself', or 'oneself'.
credere: Verb infinitive meaning 'to believe' or 'to think'.
sulla: Contraction of 'su' and 'la', meaning 'on the' (feminine singular).
testimonianza: Noun meaning 'testimony' or 'witness account'.
deboli: Adjective meaning 'weak', lacking strength or force.

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