The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 12

English → Pt 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.

Esta idade, pois, Senhor, da qual não tenho lembrança, que aceito pela palavra de outros, e deduzo de outras crianças que já passei, verdadeira embora seja a dedução, ainda assim reluto em contá-la nesta minha vida que vivo neste mundo.

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

Pois não menos do que aquela que passei no ventre de minha mãe, está ela oculta para mim nas sombras do esquecimento.

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?

Mas se fui formado na iniquidade, e em pecado me concebeu minha mãe, onde, eu Te imploro, ó meu Deus, onde, Senhor, ou quando, fui eu Teu servo inocente?

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

Mas, eis que! esse período eu deixo passar; e que tenho eu agora a ver com aquilo de que não consigo recordar nenhum vestígio?

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

Passando assim da infância, cheguei à meninice, ou antes, ela veio até mim, deslocando a infância.

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

Nem partiu aquela,--(pois para onde foi?)--e contudo já não existia mais.

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

Pois já não era um infante sem fala, mas um menino que falava.

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

Isso eu recordo; e desde então observei como aprendi a falar.

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.

Não foi que meus mais velhos me ensinaram palavras (como, logo depois, outros conhecimentos) por algum método determinado; mas eu, ansiando por meio de gritos e acentos fragmentados e vários movimentos de meus membros exprimir meus pensamentos, para assim ter minha vontade, e contudo incapaz de exprimir tudo o que queria, ou a quem queria, eu mesmo, pelo entendimento que Tu, meu Deus, me deste, pratiquei os sons em minha memória.

Vocabulary

Esta: ES-ta — This (feminine demonstrative pronoun/adjective).
idade: i-DA-de — Age; period of life or historical era.
pois: POIS — Because, since, or well; causal/explanatory conjunction.
Senhor: se-NHOR — Lord, Sir; respectful title for God or man.
da: DA — Contraction of 'de' and 'a'; of the (feminine).
qual: KWAL — Which, what; relative or interrogative pronoun.
não: NÃON — No, not; primary negation word in Portuguese.
tenho: TEN-yo — I have; first-person singular of 'ter'.
lembrança: lem-BRAN-sa — Memory, recollection, souvenir of past experience.
que: KE — That, which, what; very common conjunction or pronoun.
aceito: a-SEI-to — I accept; first-person singular of 'aceitar'.
pela: PE-la — Contraction of 'por' and 'a'; by/through the (feminine).
palavra: pa-LA-vra — Word; unit of spoken or written language.
de: DE — Of, from; extremely common Portuguese preposition.
outros: OU-tros — Others, other people; masculine plural of 'outro'.
e: E — And; basic coordinating conjunction linking elements.
deduzo: de-DU-zo — I deduce; first-person singular of 'deduzir'.
outras: OU-tras — Others; feminine plural of 'outro', meaning other ones.
crianças: cri-AN-sas — Children; plural of 'criança', young human beings.
já: JÁ — Already, now, yet; adverb indicating prior action.
passei: pa-SEI — I passed, I went through; past tense of 'passar'.
verdadeira: ver-da-DEI-ra — True, genuine, real; feminine adjective of 'verdadeiro'.
embora: em-BO-ra — Although, even though; concessive conjunction in Portuguese.
seja: SE-ja — Be; present subjunctive of 'ser', used in clauses.
a: A — The (feminine singular definite article); also 'to/at'.
dedução: de-du-SÃO — Deduction; conclusion reached through logical reasoning.
ainda: a-IN-da — Still, yet, even; adverb indicating continuation or addition.
assim: a-SIM — So, thus, like this; adverb of manner or consequence.
reluto: re-LU-to — I am reluctant, I hesitate; first-person of 'relutar'.
em: EM — In, at, on; common Portuguese preposition of location.
contá-la: kon-TÁ-la — To tell it (feminine); infinitive with clitic pronoun.
nesta: NES-ta — In this (feminine); contraction of 'em' and 'esta'.
minha: MIN-ya — My (feminine singular possessive pronoun/adjective).
vida: VI-da — Life; one's existence or way of living.
vivo: VI-vo — I live; first-person singular of 'viver', to live.
neste: NES-te — In this (masculine); contraction of 'em' and 'este'.
mundo: MUN-do — World; the earth or human society at large.
Pois: POIS — For, because, since; causal conjunction starting sentence.
menos: ME-nos — Less, fewer; comparative adverb indicating reduction.
do: DO — Contraction of 'de' and 'o'; of the (masculine).
aquela: a-KE-la — That (feminine, distant); demonstrative pronoun/adjective.
no: NO — In the (masculine); contraction of 'em' and 'o'.
ventre: VEN-tre — Womb, belly; internal abdominal cavity or uterus.
mãe: MÃEN — Mother; female parent who bears or raises children.
está: es-TÁ — Is (location/state); third-person singular of 'estar'.
ela: E-la — She, her; third-person singular feminine pronoun.
oculta: o-KUL-ta — Hidden, concealed, secret; feminine adjective from 'oculto'.
para: PA-ra — For, to, toward; preposition indicating purpose or direction.
mim: MIM — Me; stressed first-person singular pronoun after prepositions.
nas: NAS — In the (feminine plural); contraction of 'em' and 'as'.
sombras: SOM-bras — Shadows, darkness; plural of 'sombra', shaded areas.
esquecimento: es-ke-si-MEN-to — Forgetfulness, oblivion; state of having forgotten something.
Mas: MAS — But; adversative conjunction introducing a contrasting idea.
se: SE — If, oneself; conditional conjunction or reflexive pronoun.
fui: FUI — I was, I went; past tense of 'ser' or 'ir'.
formado: for-MA-do — Formed, shaped, made; past participle of 'formar'.
na: NA — In the (feminine); contraction of 'em' and 'a'.
iniquidade: i-ni-ki-DA-de — Iniquity, wickedness, grave moral wrongdoing or injustice.
pecado: pe-KA-do — Sin; moral transgression against divine or ethical law.
me: ME — Me, myself; first-person singular object/reflexive pronoun.
concebeu: kon-se-BEU — Conceived; third-person past tense of 'conceber'.
onde: ON-de — Where; interrogative or relative adverb of place.
eu: EU — I; first-person singular subject pronoun in Portuguese.
Te: TE — You (object, familiar); second-person clitic pronoun.
imploro: im-PLO-ro — I implore, I beg earnestly; first-person of 'implorar'.
ó: Ó — O, oh; vocative exclamation calling upon someone.
meu: MEU — My (masculine singular); first-person possessive adjective.
Deus: DEUS — God; supreme divine being in monotheistic faith.
ou: OU — Or; disjunctive conjunction presenting alternatives or choices.
quando: KWAN-do — When; temporal conjunction or interrogative adverb.
Teu: TEU — Your (masculine, singular, familiar); possessive pronoun.
servo: SER-vo — Servant, slave; one who serves another devotedly.
inocente: i-no-SEN-te — Innocent; free from guilt, sin, or wrongdoing.
eis: EIS — Behold, here is; presentative particle pointing to something.
esse: ES-se — That (masculine, near); demonstrative pronoun/adjective.
período: pe-RÍ-o-do — Period, span of time; defined interval or epoch.
deixo: DEI-sho — I leave, I let; first-person singular of 'deixar'.
passar: pa-SAR — To pass, go by; verb of motion or elapsed time.
agora: a-GO-ra — Now, at this moment; adverb indicating present time.
ver: VER — To see; infinitive verb of visual perception.
com: KOM — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means.
aquilo: a-KI-lo — That thing; neuter demonstrative pronoun for distant objects.
consigo: kon-SI-go — I can manage, I succeed; first-person of 'conseguir'.
recordar: re-kor-DAR — To remember, recall; verb of retrieving past memories.
nenhum: nen-YUM — No, none, not any; masculine indefinite negative pronoun.
vestígio: ves-TÍ-ji-o — Trace, vestige, remnant left behind of something past.
Passando: pa-SAN-do — Passing; present participle of 'passar', transitioning through.
infância: in-FÂN-si-a — Infancy, early childhood; earliest stage of human life.
cheguei: she-GEI — I arrived, I reached; past tense of 'chegar'.
à: À — To the (feminine); contraction of 'a' and 'a'.
meninice: me-ni-NI-se — Boyhood, childhood; early stage of a child's life.
antes: AN-tes — Before, previously; adverb indicating prior time or order.
veio: VEI-o — Came; third-person singular past tense of 'vir'.
até: a-TÉ — Until, up to, even; preposition or adverb of limit.
deslocando: des-lo-KAN-do — Displacing, shifting; present participle of 'deslocar'.
Nem: NEM — Neither, nor, not even; negative coordinating conjunction.
partiu: par-TIU — Departed, left; third-person past tense of 'partir'.
foi: FOI — Was, went; third-person past tense of 'ser' or 'ir'.
contudo: kon-TU-do — However, nevertheless; adversative adverb showing contrast.
existia: e-zis-TI-a — Existed; third-person imperfect past of 'existir'.
mais: MAIS — More, anymore; adverb of degree or addition.
era: E-ra — Was; third-person singular imperfect past of 'ser'.
um: UM — A, an, one; masculine indefinite article or numeral.
infante: in-FAN-te — Infant, baby; very young child unable to speak.
sem: SEM — Without; preposition indicating absence or lack of something.
fala: FA-la — Speech, talk; ability to speak or verbal expression.
menino: me-NI-no — Boy, child; young male person, often a small child.
falava: fa-LA-va — Spoke; third-person imperfect past tense of 'falar'.
Isso: IS-so — That, this; neuter demonstrative pronoun for nearby things.
recordo: re-KOR-do — I remember; first-person singular of 'recordar'.
desde: DEZ-de — Since, from; preposition indicating starting point in time.
então: en-TÃON — Then, at that time; adverb indicating a past moment.
observei: ob-ser-VEI — I observed; first-person past tense of 'observar'.
como: KO-mo — How, as, like; interrogative adverb or comparative conjunction.
aprendi: a-pren-DI — I learned; first-person past tense of 'aprender'.
falar: fa-LAR — To speak, to talk; basic verb of verbal communication.
Não: NÃON — No, not; primary Portuguese negation word.
meus: MEUS — My (masculine plural); first-person possessive adjective.
velhos: VEL-yos — Old people, elders; plural of 'velho', old or elderly.
ensinaram: en-si-NA-ram — They taught; third-person plural past tense of 'ensinar'.
palavras: pa-LA-vras — Words; plural of 'palavra', units of language.
logo: LO-go — Soon, then, right away; adverb of time or sequence.
depois: de-POIS — After, afterwards, later; adverb of subsequent time.
conhecimentos: kon-ye-si-MEN-tos — Knowledge, know-how; plural of 'conhecimento', acquired learning.
por: POR — By, through, for; preposition of cause, means, or exchange.
algum: al-GUM — Some, any; masculine indefinite pronoun or adjective.
método: MÉ-to-do — Method, procedure; systematic way of doing something.
determinado: de-ter-mi-NA-do — Determined, specific, set; past participle of 'determinar'.
ansiando: an-si-AN-do — Longing, yearning; present participle of 'ansiar'.
meio: MEI-o — Means, middle, way; method or intermediate point.
gritos: GRI-tos — Shouts, screams; plural of 'grito', loud vocalizations.
acentos: a-SEN-tos — Accents, tones; vocal emphases or diacritic marks.
fragmentados: frag-men-TA-dos — Fragmented, broken up; pieces of incomplete utterances.
vários: VÁ-ri-os — Various, several; masculine plural adjective of variety.
movimentos: mo-vi-MEN-tos — Movements, motions; plural of 'movimento', physical gestures.
membros: MEM-bros — Limbs, members; body parts such as arms and legs.
exprimir: es-pri-MIR — To express, convey; to communicate thoughts or feelings.
pensamentos: pen-sa-MEN-tos — Thoughts, ideas; plural of 'pensamento', mental reflections.
ter: TER — To have; fundamental Portuguese verb of possession.
vontade: von-TA-de — Will, desire, wish; intention or strong inclination.
incapaz: in-ka-PAZ — Incapable, unable; lacking ability to do something.
tudo: TU-do — Everything, all; neuter pronoun encompassing the totality.
o: O — The (masculine singular definite article); also him/it.
queria: ke-RI-a — Wanted; third/first-person imperfect past of 'querer'.
quem: KEM — Who, whom; interrogative or relative pronoun for people.
mesmo: MES-mo — Same, even, himself; adverb/adjective of identity or emphasis.
pelo: PE-lo — By the (masculine); contraction of 'por' and 'o'.
entendimento: en-ten-di-MEN-to — Understanding, comprehension; faculty of grasping meaning.
Tu: TU — You (singular familiar); second-person subject pronoun.
deste: DES-te — You gave; second-person past tense of 'dar'.
pratiquei: pra-ti-KEI — I practiced; first-person past tense of 'praticar'.
os: OS — The (masculine plural definite article); also them.
sons: SONS — Sounds; plural of 'som', auditory vibrations or tones.
memória: me-MÓ-ri-a — Memory; faculty of retaining and recalling past experiences.

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