The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 14

English → It 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.

Poiché questo fu giudicato giusto dai nostri padri; e molti, percorrendo prima di noi lo stesso cammino, ci tracciarono sentieri faticosi, attraverso i quali fummo costretti a passare; moltiplicando fatica e dolore sui figli di Adamo.

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.

Ma, o Signore, scoprimmo che gli uomini Ti invocavano, e da loro imparammo a pensare a Te (secondo le nostre capacità) come a un grande Essere, il quale, pur essendo nascosto ai nostri sensi, poteva udirci e aiutarci.

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.

Così infatti io cominciai, da fanciullo, a pregare Te, mio aiuto e rifugio; e sciolsi i legami della mia lingua per invocarTi, pregandoTi, pur piccolo, con non piccola fervenza, affinché non fossi battuto a scuola.

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.

E quando Tu non mi ascoltasti (senza con ciò abbandonarmi alla follia), i miei anziani, anzi i miei stessi genitori, che pure non mi volevano alcun male, si beffarono delle mie frustate, che erano allora per me un grande e grave tormento.

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?

Vi è, o Signore, qualcuno di animo così grande, e così intensamente unito a Te per affetto (poiché una certa ottusità può in qualche modo ottenerlo); ma vi è qualcuno che, per il fatto di essere devotamente unito a Te, sia dotato di uno spirito così grande da poter considerare con altrettanta leggerezza i supplizi, i ganci e gli altri tormenti (contro i quali, in tutte le terre, gli uomini Ti invocano con estremo terrore), befandosi di coloro che li temono nel modo più acuto, come i nostri genitori si beffavano dei tormenti che subivamo nella fanciullezza dai nostri maestri?

Vocabulary

Poiché: poi-ché — Conjunction meaning 'since' or 'because'.
questo: que-sto — Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning 'this'.
fu: fu — Third person singular past tense of 'essere' (to be).
giudicato: giu-di-ca-to — Past participle of 'giudicare'; meaning 'judged' or 'deemed'.
giusto: giu-sto — Adjective meaning 'just', 'right', or 'correct'.
dai: dai — Contraction of 'da' and 'i', meaning 'by the'.
nostri: no-stri — Possessive adjective meaning 'our' (masculine plural).
padri: pa-dri — Plural of 'padre'; meaning 'fathers' or 'forefathers'.
e: e — Conjunction meaning 'and'.
molti: mol-ti — Adjective or pronoun meaning 'many' (masculine plural).
percorrendo: per-cor-ren-do — Gerund of 'percorrere'; meaning 'traveling along' or 'covering'.
prima: pri-ma — Adverb or adjective meaning 'before' or 'first'.
di: di — Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'by'.
noi: noi — Personal pronoun meaning 'we' or 'us'.
lo: lo — Definite article or pronoun meaning 'the' or 'it'.
stesso: stes-so — Adjective meaning 'same' or 'very' for emphasis.
cammino: cam-mi-no — Noun meaning 'path', 'journey', or 'way'.
ci: ci — Reflexive or indirect pronoun meaning 'us' or 'to us'.
tracciarono: trac-cia-ro-no — Third person plural past of 'tracciare'; meaning 'they traced'.
sentieri: sen-tie-ri — Plural of 'sentiero'; meaning 'paths' or 'trails'.
faticosi: fa-ti-co-si — Adjective meaning 'laborious', 'tiring', or 'arduous'.
attraverso: at-tra-ver-so — Preposition meaning 'through' or 'across'.
i: i — Definite article meaning 'the' (masculine plural).
fummo: fum-mo — First person plural past of 'essere'; meaning 'we were'.
costretti: co-stret-ti — Past participle of 'costringere'; meaning 'forced' or 'compelled'.
a: a — Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'.
passare: pas-sa-re — Infinitive meaning 'to pass' or 'to go through'.
moltiplicando: mol-ti-pli-can-do — Gerund of 'moltiplicare'; meaning 'multiplying' or 'increasing'.
fatica: fa-ti-ca — Noun meaning 'toil', 'effort', or 'hardship'.
dolore: do-lo-re — Noun meaning 'pain', 'sorrow', or 'grief'.
sui: sui — Contraction of 'su' and 'i', meaning 'on the' (masculine plural).
figli: fi-gli — Plural of 'figlio'; meaning 'sons', 'children', or 'offspring'.
Ma: ma — Conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however'.
o: o — Interjection meaning 'O' used in direct address.
Signore: Si-gno-re — Noun meaning 'Lord', 'Sir', or 'Mister'.
scoprimmo: sco-prim-mo — First person plural past of 'scoprire'; meaning 'we discovered'.
che: che — Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that', 'which', or 'who'.
gli: gli — Definite article or pronoun meaning 'the' or 'to him'.
uomini: uo-mi-ni — Plural of 'uomo'; meaning 'men' or 'people'.
Ti: ti — Second person singular pronoun meaning 'you' (object form).
invocavano: in-vo-ca-va-no — Third person plural imperfect of 'invocare'; meaning 'they invoked'.
da: da — Preposition meaning 'from', 'by', or 'since'.
loro: lo-ro — Pronoun or possessive meaning 'them', 'their', or 'they'.
imparammo: im-pa-ram-mo — First person plural past of 'imparare'; meaning 'we learned'.
pensare: pen-sa-re — Infinitive meaning 'to think' or 'to consider'.
Te: te — Stressed second person pronoun meaning 'you' (object).
secondo: se-con-do — Preposition or adjective meaning 'according to' or 'second'.
le: le — Definite article meaning 'the' (feminine plural).
nostre: no-stre — Possessive adjective meaning 'our' (feminine plural).
capacità: ca-pa-ci-tà — Noun meaning 'ability', 'capacity', or 'capability'.
come: co-me — Conjunction or adverb meaning 'as', 'like', or 'how'.
un: un — Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (masculine).
grande: gran-de — Adjective meaning 'great', 'large', or 'grand'.
Essere: es-se-re — Noun or infinitive meaning 'Being' or 'to be'.
il: il — Definite article meaning 'the' (masculine singular).
quale: qua-le — Relative pronoun meaning 'who', 'which', or 'that'.
pur: pur — Adverb meaning 'even though', 'yet', or 'still'.
essendo: es-sen-do — Gerund of 'essere'; meaning 'being'.
nascosto: na-sco-sto — Past participle of 'nascondere'; meaning 'hidden' or 'concealed'.
ai: ai — Contraction of 'a' and 'i', meaning 'to the' (masculine plural).
sensi: sen-si — Plural of 'senso'; meaning 'senses' or 'meanings'.
poteva: po-te-va — Third person singular imperfect of 'potere'; meaning 'could'.
udirci: u-dir-ci — Infinitive 'udire' with 'ci'; meaning 'to hear us'.
aiutarci: a-iu-tar-ci — Infinitive 'aiutare' with 'ci'; meaning 'to help us'.
Così: co-sì — Adverb meaning 'so', 'thus', or 'in this way'.
infatti: in-fat-ti — Adverb meaning 'in fact', 'indeed', or 'actually'.
io: io — Personal pronoun meaning 'I'.
cominciai: co-min-ciai — First person singular past of 'cominciare'; meaning 'I began'.
fanciullo: fan-ciul-lo — Noun meaning 'child', 'boy', or 'young lad'.
pregare: pre-ga-re — Infinitive meaning 'to pray' or 'to beg'.
mio: mio — Possessive adjective meaning 'my' (masculine singular).
aiuto: a-iu-to — Noun meaning 'help', 'aid', or 'assistance'.
rifugio: ri-fu-gio — Noun meaning 'refuge', 'shelter', or 'sanctuary'.
sciolsi: sciol-si — First person singular past of 'sciogliere'; meaning 'I loosened'.
legami: le-ga-mi — Plural of 'legame'; meaning 'bonds', 'ties', or 'links'.
della: del-la — Contraction of 'di' and 'la', meaning 'of the' (feminine).
mia: mia — Possessive adjective meaning 'my' (feminine singular).
lingua: lin-gua — Noun meaning 'tongue', 'language', or 'speech'.
per: per — Preposition meaning 'for', 'through', or 'in order to'.
invocarTi: in-vo-car-ti — Infinitive 'invocare' with 'Ti'; meaning 'to invoke You'.
pregandoTi: pre-gan-do-ti — Gerund 'pregando' with 'Ti'; meaning 'praying to You'.
piccolo: pic-co-lo — Adjective meaning 'small', 'little', or 'young'.
con: con — Preposition meaning 'with'.
non: non — Negation adverb meaning 'not'.
piccola: pic-co-la — Adjective meaning 'small' or 'little' (feminine form).
fervenza: fer-ven-za — Noun meaning 'fervor', 'zeal', or 'ardent devotion'.
affinché: af-fin-ché — Conjunction meaning 'so that' or 'in order that'.
fossi: fos-si — First person singular subjunctive of 'essere'; meaning 'I were'.
battuto: bat-tu-to — Past participle of 'battere'; meaning 'beaten' or 'struck'.
scuola: scuo-la — Noun meaning 'school' or 'educational institution'.
E: e — Conjunction meaning 'and'.
quando: quan-do — Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when'.
Tu: tu — Personal pronoun meaning 'you' (singular informal).
mi: mi — First person singular object pronoun meaning 'me' or 'to me'.
ascoltasti: a-scol-ta-sti — Second person singular past of 'ascoltare'; meaning 'you listened'.
senza: sen-za — Preposition meaning 'without'.
ciò: ciò — Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this', 'that', or 'it'.
abbandonarmi: ab-ban-do-nar-mi — Infinitive 'abbandonare' with 'mi'; meaning 'to abandon me'.
alla: al-la — Contraction of 'a' and 'la', meaning 'to the' (feminine).
follia: fol-lia — Noun meaning 'madness', 'folly', or 'insanity'.
miei: miei — Possessive adjective meaning 'my' (masculine plural).
anziani: an-zia-ni — Noun or adjective meaning 'elders', 'elderly people'.
anzi: an-zi — Adverb meaning 'on the contrary', 'rather', or 'in fact'.
stessi: stes-si — Adjective meaning 'same' or 'very' (masculine plural).
genitori: ge-ni-to-ri — Noun meaning 'parents' (father and mother).
pure: pu-re — Adverb meaning 'also', 'even', or 'yet'.
volevano: vo-le-va-no — Third person plural imperfect of 'volere'; meaning 'they wanted'.
alcun: al-cun — Adjective meaning 'any' or 'no' (in negative context).
male: ma-le — Noun or adjective meaning 'evil', 'harm', or 'bad'.
si: si — Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself', 'himself', 'herself'.
beffarono: bef-fa-ro-no — Third person plural past of 'beffare'; meaning 'they mocked'.
delle: del-le — Contraction of 'di' and 'le', meaning 'of the' (feminine plural).
frustate: fru-sta-te — Plural of 'frustata'; meaning 'whippings' or 'lashes'.
erano: e-ra-no — Third person plural imperfect of 'essere'; meaning 'they were'.
allora: al-lo-ra — Adverb meaning 'then', 'at that time', or 'so'.
me: me — Stressed first person pronoun meaning 'me'.
grave: gra-ve — Adjective meaning 'serious', 'grave', or 'heavy'.
tormento: tor-men-to — Noun meaning 'torment', 'anguish', or 'suffering'.
Vi: vi — Pronoun meaning 'you' (plural) or adverb meaning 'there'.
è: è — Third person singular present of 'essere'; meaning 'is'.
qualcuno: qual-cu-no — Indefinite pronoun meaning 'someone' or 'anyone'.
animo: a-ni-mo — Noun meaning 'soul', 'spirit', 'mind', or 'heart'.
così: co-sì — Adverb meaning 'so', 'thus', or 'in this way'.
intensamente: in-ten-sa-men-te — Adverb meaning 'intensely' or 'deeply'.
unito: u-ni-to — Past participle of 'unire'; meaning 'united' or 'joined'.
affetto: af-fet-to — Noun meaning 'affection', 'love', or 'fondness'.
poiché: poi-ché — Conjunction meaning 'since' or 'because'.
una: u-na — Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (feminine).
certa: cer-ta — Adjective meaning 'certain', 'particular', or 'sure' (feminine).
ottusità: ot-tu-si-tà — Noun meaning 'dullness', 'obtuseness', or 'insensitivity'.
può: può — Third person singular present of 'potere'; meaning 'can'.
in: in — Preposition meaning 'in', 'into', or 'at'.
qualche: qual-che — Adjective meaning 'some', 'any', or 'a certain'.
modo: mo-do — Noun meaning 'way', 'manner', or 'method'.
ottenerlo: ot-te-ner-lo — Infinitive 'ottenere' with 'lo'; meaning 'to obtain it'.
ma: ma — Conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however'.
vi: vi — Adverb meaning 'there'; also a pronoun meaning 'you' (plural).
fatto: fat-to — Noun or past participle meaning 'fact', 'deed', or 'done'.
essere: es-se-re — Infinitive meaning 'to be'; also an auxiliary verb.
devotamente: de-vo-ta-men-te — Adverb meaning 'devoutly' or 'with great devotion'.
sia: sia — Third person singular subjunctive of 'essere'; meaning 'be'.
dotato: do-ta-to — Adjective meaning 'gifted', 'endowed', or 'talented'.
uno: u-no — Indefinite article or numeral meaning 'a', 'an', or 'one'.
spirito: spi-ri-to — Noun meaning 'spirit', 'soul', or 'mind'.
poter: po-ter — Truncated infinitive of 'potere'; meaning 'to be able'.
considerare: con-si-de-ra-re — Infinitive meaning 'to consider', 'to regard', or 'to view'.
altrettanta: al-tret-tan-ta — Adjective meaning 'as much', 'equal', or 'the same amount'.
leggerezza: leg-ge-rez-za — Noun meaning 'lightness', 'frivolity', or 'carelessness'.
supplizi: sup-pli-zi — Plural of 'supplizio'; meaning 'tortures' or 'punishments'.
ganci: gan-ci — Plural of 'gancio'; meaning 'hooks' or 'claws'.
altri: al-tri — Adjective or pronoun meaning 'other' or 'others'.
tormenti: tor-men-ti — Plural of 'tormento'; meaning 'torments' or 'sufferings'.
contro: con-tro — Preposition meaning 'against' or 'contrary to'.
tutte: tut-te — Adjective meaning 'all' or 'every' (feminine plural).
terre: ter-re — Plural of 'terra'; meaning 'lands', 'earths', or 'countries'.
invocano: in-vo-ca-no — Third person plural present of 'invocare'; meaning 'they invoke'.
estremo: e-stre-mo — Adjective meaning 'extreme', 'utmost', or 'final'.
terrore: ter-ro-re — Noun meaning 'terror', 'dread', or 'fear'.
befandosi: bef-fan-do-si — Reflexive gerund of 'beffare'; meaning 'mocking' or 'laughing at'.
coloro: co-lo-ro — Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'those' or 'those who'.
li: li — Third person plural object pronoun meaning 'them'.
temono: te-mo-no — Third person plural present of 'temere'; meaning 'they fear'.
nel: nel — Contraction of 'in' and 'il', meaning 'in the' (masculine).
più: più — Adverb meaning 'more', 'most', or 'no longer'.
acuto: a-cu-to — Adjective meaning 'sharp', 'acute', or 'keen'.
beffavano: bef-fa-va-no — Third person plural imperfect of 'beffare'; meaning 'they mocked'.
dei: dei — Contraction of 'di' and 'i', meaning 'of the' (masculine plural).
subivamo: su-bi-va-mo — First person plural imperfect of 'subire'; meaning 'we underwent'.
nella: nel-la — Contraction of 'in' and 'la', meaning 'in the' (feminine).
fanciullezza: fan-ciul-lez-za — Noun meaning 'childhood' or 'boyhood'.
maestri: mae-stri — Plural of 'maestro'; meaning 'teachers' or 'masters'.

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