The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 12

English → Japanese BOOK I Level 9/10

This age then, Lord, whereof I have no remembrance, which I take on others' word, and guess from other infants that I have passed, true though the guess be, I am yet loth to count in this life of mine which I live in this world.

この時期については、主よ、私には何も記憶がなく、他の人々の言葉を頼りに、また他の幼子たちを見て自分もそのように過ごしたのだろうと推測するばかりですが、その推測が正しいとしても、私はこの世に生きる自分の生涯の中にその時期を数えることをためらいます。

For no less than that which I spent in my mother's womb, is it hid from me in the shadows of forgetfulness.

なぜなら、母の胎内で過ごした時と同様に、その時期もまた忘却の影の中に私から隠されているからです。

But if I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me, where, I beseech Thee, O my God, where, Lord, or when, was I Thy servant guiltless?

しかし、もし私が不義の中に形作られ、罪の中に母が私を宿したのであれば、願わくば教えてください、我が神よ、どこで、主よ、またいつ、私はあなたの僕として罪なき者であったのでしょうか。

But, lo! that period I pass by; and what have I now to do with that, of which I can recall no vestige?

しかし、見よ、その時期は通り過ぎていきます。今の私には、何の痕跡も思い出せないその時期と、どのような関わりがあるというのでしょうか。

Passing hence from infancy, I came to boyhood, or rather it came to me, displacing infancy.

乳児期からやがて少年期へと移り、あるいはむしろ少年期が私のもとへやって来て、乳児期を押しのけたのです。

Nor did that depart,--(for whither went it?)--and yet it was no more.

乳児期が去ったわけでもなく――どこへ行ったというのでしょう――それでもなお、もはやそれは存在しませんでした。

For I was no longer a speechless infant, but a speaking boy.

なぜなら私はもはや言葉を持たない幼子ではなく、言葉を語る少年となっていたからです。

This I remember; and have since observed how I learned to speak.

このことは覚えており、その後、自分がどのようにして言葉を学んだかを振り返ってきました。

It was not that my elders taught me words (as, soon after, other learning) in any set method; but I, longing by cries and broken accents and various motions of my limbs to express my thoughts, that so I might have my will, and yet unable to express all I willed, or to whom I willed, did myself, by the understanding which Thou, my God, gavest me, practise the sounds in my memory.

年長者たちが言葉を（その後まもなく他の学問を教えたように）何らかの決まった方法で教えてくれたわけではありません。私は泣き声や不完全な発音や手足のさまざまな動きによって自分の思いを表現しようと切望し、そうして自分の意志を叶えようとしたのですが、望むことすべてを、また望む相手に対して表現することができず、あなた、我が神よ、があなたが与えてくださった理解力によって、自ら記憶の中で音を練習したのです。

Vocabulary

この: kono — This (adjective modifying a nearby noun).
時期: jiki — Period of time, season, phase.
に: ni — Particle indicating location, direction, or time.
ついて: tsuite — Concerning, about, regarding a topic.
は: wa — Topic-marking particle highlighting the subject.
主: shu — Lord, master, or God in religious context.
よ: yo — Sentence-ending particle expressing assertion or address.
私: watashi — I, me; first-person singular pronoun.
何: nani — What; interrogative or indefinite pronoun.
も: mo — Also, even, or emphatic particle with negation (nothing).
記憶: kioku — Memory, recollection of past events.
が: ga — Subject-marking particle identifying the grammatical subject.
なく: naku — Without, lacking; conjunctive negative form.
他: hoka — Other, another, different person or thing.
の: no — Possessive or nominalizing particle connecting nouns.
人々: hitobito — People, various persons, individuals.
言葉: kotoba — Words, language, speech, expression.
を: wo — Object-marking particle indicating direct object.
頼り: tayori — Relying on, depending upon something or someone.
また: mata — Also, again, or furthermore.
幼子: osanago — Young child, infant, little one.
たち: tachi — Plural suffix for people or animate beings.
見て: mite — Looking at, watching, observing someone.
自分: jibun — Oneself, one's own self.
そのように: sono you ni — In that way, like that, similarly.
過ごし: sugoshi — Spent time, passed days, lived through period.
た: ta — Past tense auxiliary verb marker.
だろう: darou — Probably, I suppose, conjecture or supposition.
と: to — Quotation particle or conjunctive particle meaning 'and'.
推測: suisoku — Conjecture, inference, guessing based on evidence.
する: suru — To do; general-purpose action verb.
ばかり: bakari — Only, nothing but, just that alone.
です: desu — Polite copula meaning 'is' or 'am'.
その: sono — That (adjective referring to previously mentioned noun).
正しい: tadashii — Correct, right, accurate, proper.
し: shi — Conjunctive form listing reasons or actions.
世: yo — World, age, lifetime, era.
生きる: ikiru — To live, to exist, to be alive.
生涯: shougai — One's lifetime, entire life span.
中: naka — Inside, within, among, in the middle.
数える: kazoeru — To count, to enumerate, to reckon up.
こと: koto — Thing, fact, matter; nominalizer for verbs.
ためらい: tamerai — Hesitation, reluctance, wavering before acting.
ます: masu — Polite verb ending indicating present or future.
なぜ: naze — Why, for what reason.
なら: nara — Because, if, conditional conjunctive form.
母: haha — Mother, one's own mother.
胎内: tainai — Inside the womb, within the mother's womb.
で: de — Particle indicating location of action or means.
時: toki — Time, moment, occasion, period.
同様: douyou — Same way, similarly, likewise.
忘却: boukyaku — Oblivion, complete forgetting, total loss of memory.
影: kage — Shadow, shade, hidden or dark side.
から: kara — From, because of; particle of origin or cause.
隠さ: kakusa — Hidden, concealed; stem of verb kakusu.
れ: re — Passive or potential auxiliary verb suffix.
いる: iru — To be, to exist (for animate beings).
しかし: shikashi — However, but, nevertheless, yet.
もし: moshi — If, in case, supposing that.
不義: fugi — Injustice, wrongdoing, moral transgression, iniquity.
形作ら: katachizukura — Shaped, formed; stem of katachizukuru (to form).
罪: tsumi — Sin, crime, fault, wrongdoing.
宿し: yadoshi — Harboring, conceiving, lodging within oneself.
あれ: are — Conditional or imperative form of aru (to be).
ば: ba — Conditional particle meaning 'if' or 'when'.
願わくば: negawakuba — I pray that, if you please, hopefully.
教え: oshie — Teaching, instruction; stem of oshieru (to teach).
ください: kudasai — Please give or do; polite request form.
我が: waga — My, our; first-person possessive (formal/literary).
神: kami — God, deity, divine being.
どこ: doko — Where, what place, which location.
いつ: itsu — When, at what time.
あなた: anata — You; second-person singular pronoun.
僕: boku — I, me; masculine informal first-person pronoun.
として: toshite — As, in the capacity of, in the role of.
なき: naki — Without, lacking; literary attributive negative form.
者: mono — Person, one who, individual (often literary).
あっ: a(t) — Was, existed; contracted past form of aru.
でしょう: deshou — Probably, I wonder; polite conjecture ending.
か: ka — Question particle marking interrogative sentences.
見よ: miyo — Behold! Look! Imperative form of miru (to see).
通り過ぎ: toorisugii — Passing by, going past without stopping.
いき: iki — Going, proceeding; conjunctive form of iku.
今: ima — Now, at present, currently.
痕跡: konseki — Trace, remnant, vestige left behind.
思い出せ: omoidase — Cannot recall; potential/negative stem of recall.
ない: nai — Not, non-existent; negative auxiliary adjective.
どのような: dono you na — What kind of, what sort of.
関わり: kakawari — Involvement, connection, relationship with something.
ある: aru — To exist, to have, to be (inanimate).
いう: iu — To say, to call, to be called.
乳児期: nyuujiki — Infancy, baby stage, period of nursing.
やがて: yagate — Before long, soon, eventually, in due time.
少年期: shounenki — Boyhood, childhood period, early youth.
へ: e — Directional particle meaning toward, to.
移り: utsuri — Moving to, transitioning, shifting over.
あるいは: aruiwa — Or, alternatively, perhaps, on the other hand.
むしろ: mushiro — Rather, instead, more precisely speaking.
もと: moto — Origin, base; place one comes from.
やって来: yatteki — Came along, arrived, approached from somewhere.
押しのけ: oshinoke — Pushing aside, shoving away, displacing something.
去っ: sa(t) — Went away, departed, left behind.
わけ: wake — Reason, meaning, it means that.
どこ: doko — Where, what place, which location.
行っ: i(t) — Went; past conjunctive form of iku (to go).
それでも: soredemo — Even so, nevertheless, still, despite that.
なお: nao — Still, yet, furthermore, all the more.
もはや: mohaya — No longer, not anymore, already past.
存在: sonzai — Existence, being, presence.
ませ: mase — Polite auxiliary used in negative or request forms.
ん: n — Negative contraction of nai; informal negative ending.
でし: deshi — Polite past copula stem (part of deshita).
持た: mota — Held, possessed; negative/conditional stem of motsu.
語る: kataru — To speak, to narrate, to tell a story.
少年: shounen — Boy, youth, young male, lad.
なっ: na(t) — Became; conjunctive past of naru (to become).
い: i — Conjunctive form of iru (to be/exist).
覚え: oboe — Memory, remembrance; stem of oboeru (to remember).
おり: ori — Being, existing; humble/literary form of iru.
その後: sonogo — After that, subsequently, thereafter.
どのように: dono you ni — In what manner, how, in what way.
学ん: manan — Learned, studied; conjunctive form of manabu.
振り返っ: furikaet(t) — Looked back, reflected upon; past conjunctive form.
き: ki — Came; literary past tense form of kuru.
まし: mashi — Polite past auxiliary stem (part of mashita).
年長者: nenchousha — Elder, senior person, one older than others.
まもなく: mamonaku — Soon, shortly, before long.
学問: gakumon — Learning, scholarship, academic study.
よう: you — Way, manner; indicating resemblance or intention.
何らかの: nanraka no — Some kind of, some sort of, certain.
決まっ: kimat(t) — Fixed, decided, established; conjunctive past form.
方法: houhou — Method, way, means of doing something.
くれ: kure — Give (to me); imperative or conjunctive of kureru.
あり: ari — There is, exists; conjunctive form of aru.
泣き声: nakigoe — Crying voice, sound of weeping or wailing.
や: ya — And (listing particle), or; informal connective.
不完全: fukanzen — Imperfect, incomplete, deficient, not fully developed.
な: na — Adjectival particle linking na-adjectives to nouns.
発音: hatsuon — Pronunciation, articulation of sounds in speech.
手足: teashi — Hands and feet, limbs, extremities.
さまざまな: samazama na — Various, diverse, all sorts of things.
動き: ugoki — Movement, motion, gesture, physical action.
によって: ni yotte — By means of, through, depending on.
思い: omoi — Thought, feeling, desire, heart's sentiment.
表現: hyougen — Expression, representation, conveying feelings through words.
しよう: shiyou — Let's do, volitional form of suru (to do).
切望: setsubou — Earnest desire, longing, strong yearning for something.
そうして: soushite — And so, in that way, thus, thereby.
意志: ishi — Will, volition, intention, determination.
叶えよう: kanae you — Let's fulfill, attempt to grant a wish.
望む: nozomu — To wish, to hope for, to desire.
すべて: subete — All, everything, entirely without exception.
相手: aite — Other party, partner, counterpart, person addressed.
対して: taishite — Toward, against, in relation to someone.
でき: deki — Can do, able; conjunctive of dekiru (can).
ず: zu — Negative conjunctive auxiliary (literary form of nai).
与え: atae — Giving, granting; stem of ataeru (to give).
理解力: rikairyoku — Comprehension ability, understanding capacity, cognitive power.
自ら: mizukara — Oneself, by oneself, personally, of one's own accord.
音: oto — Sound, noise, audio, tone.
練習: renshuu — Practice, training, rehearsal, drill exercise.

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