The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 14

English → Pt 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.

Pois isto foi julgado certo pelos nossos antepassados; e muitos, percorrendo o mesmo caminho antes de nós, traçaram para nós caminhos penosos, pelos quais éramos obrigados a passar; multiplicando o trabalho e a dor sobre os filhos de Adão.

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.

Mas, Senhor, descobrimos que os homens invocavam a Ti, e aprendemos com eles a pensar em Ti (segundo as nossas capacidades) como em algum grande Ser, que, embora oculto aos nossos sentidos, podias ouvir-nos e ajudar-nos.

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.

Pois assim comecei, quando menino, a orar a Ti, meu auxílio e refúgio; e rompi os grilhões da minha língua para invocar-Te, rogando-Te, ainda que pequeno, mas com não pequena seriedade, que eu não fosse castigado na escola.

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 não me ouviste (sem com isso me abandonar à loucura), os meus maiores, sim, os meus próprios pais, que ainda assim não me queriam mal, zombaram das minhas vergastadas, do meu então grande e pesado sofrimento.

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?

Há, Senhor, alguma alma tão grande, e que se apegue a Ti com tão intensa afeição (pois uma certa insensatez poderá fazê-lo de algum modo); mas há alguém que, por se apegar devotamente a Ti, seja dotado de tão grande espírito, que possa considerar tão levemente os tortores e os ganchos e outros tormentos (contra os quais, em todas as terras, os homens Te invocam com extremo terror), zombando daqueles por quem são temidos mais amargamente, como os nossos pais zombaram dos tormentos que sofremos na infância às mãos dos nossos mestres?

Vocabulary

Pois: pohys — Conjunction meaning 'because' or 'for' or 'well'
isto: EES-too — This thing; neuter demonstrative pronoun
foi: foy — Was or went; third-person singular past of ser/ir
julgado: zhool-GAH-doo — Judged or deemed; past participle of julgar
certo: SEHR-too — Certain, correct, or right; adjective
pelos: PEH-loosh — Contraction of 'por' and 'os'; by the
nossos: NOH-soosh — Our; first-person plural possessive adjective, masculine
antepassados: an-teh-pah-SAH-doosh — Ancestors; those from whom one descends
e: ee — And; basic coordinating conjunction
muitos: MWEE-toosh — Many; large number of people or things
percorrendo: pehr-koh-REHN-doo — Traveling through or covering; present participle of percorrer
o: oo — The; masculine singular definite article
mesmo: MEHZ-moo — Same; identical or even; adjective/adverb
caminho: kah-MEE-nyoo — Path, road, or way; route taken
antes: AN-tesh — Before; previously; temporal adverb
de: deh — Of or from; basic preposition
nós: nohsh — We or us; first-person plural pronoun
traçaram: trah-SAH-rowng — They traced or mapped out; past tense
para: PAH-rah — For, to, or toward; common preposition
caminhos: kah-MEE-nyoosh — Paths or roads; plural of caminho
penosos: peh-NOH-zoosh — Painful, laborious, or difficult; adjective plural
quais: kwahysh — Which; plural relative or interrogative pronoun
éramos: EH-rah-moosh — We were; first-person plural imperfect of ser
obrigados: oh-bree-GAH-doosh — Obliged or forced; compelled to do something
a: ah — To or at; feminine article or preposition
passar: pah-SAHR — To pass or go through; infinitive verb
multiplicando: mool-tee-plee-KAN-doo — Multiplying; increasing by many times; gerund
trabalho: trah-BAH-lyoo — Work, labor, or toil; effort exerted
dor: dohr — Pain or ache; physical or emotional suffering
sobre: SOH-breh — Over, on, or about; preposition
os: oosh — The; masculine plural definite article
filhos: FEE-lyoosh — Sons or children; plural of filho
Mas: mahsh — But; adversative coordinating conjunction
Senhor: seh-NYOHR — Lord or Mister; title of address or reverence
descobrimos: desh-koh-BREE-moosh — We discovered; first-person plural past tense
que: keh — That, which, or what; conjunction or pronoun
homens: OH-meynsh — Men; adult male human beings; plural
invocavam: een-voh-KAH-vowng — They invoked or called upon; imperfect tense
Ti: tee — You; second-person singular object pronoun, emphatic
aprendemos: ah-prehn-DEH-moosh — We learned; first-person plural past tense
com: kong — With; preposition indicating accompaniment
eles: EH-lesh — They or them; third-person plural pronoun
pensar: pehn-SAHR — To think or reflect; infinitive verb
em: eym — In or at; basic locative preposition
segundo: seh-GOON-doo — According to or second; preposition or ordinal
as: ahsh — The; feminine plural definite article
nossas: NOH-sahsh — Our; first-person plural possessive, feminine plural
capacidades: kah-pah-see-DAH-desh — Capacities or abilities; plural of capacidade
como: KOH-moo — How or like or as; conjunction or adverb
algum: ahl-GOOM — Some or any; indefinite masculine adjective
grande: GRAN-deh — Great or large; adjective describing size or importance
Ser: sehr — Being; entity that exists; noun form of ser
embora: em-BOH-rah — Although or even though; concessive conjunction
oculto: oh-KOOL-too — Hidden or concealed; invisible to perception
aos: owsh — To the; contraction of 'a' and 'os'
sentidos: sehn-TEE-doosh — Senses or feelings; faculties of perception
podias: poh-DEE-ahsh — You could; second-person singular imperfect of poder
ouvir-nos: oh-VEER-noosh — To hear us; infinitive with clitic pronoun
ajudar-nos: ah-zhoo-DAHR-noosh — To help us; infinitive with clitic pronoun
assim: ah-SEENG — Thus, so, or like this; manner adverb
comecei: koh-meh-SAY — I began; first-person singular preterite of começar
quando: KWAN-doo — When; temporal conjunction or adverb
menino: meh-NEE-noo — Boy or young child; small male child
orar: oh-RAHR — To pray; to address God in prayer
meu: MEH-oo — My; first-person singular possessive, masculine
auxílio: owk-SEE-lyoo — Help or assistance; aid given to someone
refúgio: heh-FOO-zhyoo — Refuge or shelter; safe place of protection
rompi: hohm-PEE — I broke or burst; first-person singular preterite of romper
grilhões: gree-LYOYNGSH — Shackles or fetters; chains restricting movement
da: dah — Of the; contraction of 'de' and 'a'
minha: MEE-nyah — My; first-person singular possessive, feminine
língua: LEEN-gwah — Tongue or language; organ of speech
invocar-Te: een-voh-KAHR-teh — To invoke You; call upon in prayer
rogando-Te: hoh-GAN-doo-teh — Beseeching You; earnestly pleading or begging
ainda: ah-EEN-dah — Still, yet, or even; temporal adverb
pequeno: peh-KEH-noo — Small or little; adjective describing small size
pequena: peh-KEH-nah — Small or little; feminine form of pequeno
seriedade: seh-ryeh-DAH-deh — Seriousness or earnestness; quality of being serious
eu: EH-oo — I; first-person singular subject pronoun
fosse: FOH-seh — Were or might be; imperfect subjunctive of ser
castigado: kash-tee-GAH-doo — Punished or chastised; past participle of castigar
na: nah — In the; contraction of 'em' and 'a'
escola: esh-KOH-lah — School; institution for education and learning
E: ee — And; coordinating conjunction, capitalized here
Tu: too — You; second-person singular subject pronoun
me: meh — Me; first-person singular object pronoun
ouviste: oh-VEESH-teh — You heard; second-person singular preterite of ouvir
sem: seym — Without; preposition indicating absence
isso: EE-soo — That; neuter demonstrative pronoun referring nearby
abandonar: ah-ban-doh-NAHR — To abandon or forsake; leave someone behind
à: ah — To the; contraction of 'a' and 'a'
loucura: loh-KOO-rah — Madness or folly; state of being irrational
meus: MEH-oosh — My; first-person plural possessive, masculine plural
maiores: mah-YOH-resh — Elders or superiors; greater or older ones
sim: seeng — Yes; affirmative reply or emphasis word
próprios: PROH-pryoosh — Own or proper; belonging to oneself specifically
pais: pahysh — Parents; father and mother together
queriam: keh-REE-owng — They wanted; third-person plural imperfect of querer
mal: mahl — Harm or evil; badly or wrong
zombaram: zom-BAH-rowng — They mocked or ridiculed; past tense of zombar
das: dahsh — Of the; contraction of 'de' and 'as'
minhas: MEE-nyahsh — My; first-person possessive, feminine plural form
do: doo — Of the; contraction of 'de' and 'o'
então: ehn-TOWNG — Then or so; temporal or consequential adverb
pesado: peh-ZAH-doo — Heavy or burdensome; great in weight
sofrimento: soh-free-MEHN-too — Suffering or anguish; experience of pain or distress
Há: ah — There is/are; third-person singular of haver
alguma: ahl-GOO-mah — Some or any; indefinite feminine adjective
alma: AHL-mah — Soul or spirit; inner spiritual essence
tão: towng — So or such; adverb intensifying adjectives
se: seh — Reflexive pronoun; oneself; or if, conditional
apegue: ah-PEH-geh — Attaches or clings; subjunctive of apegar
intensa: een-TEHN-sah — Intense or strong; of great degree, feminine
afeição: ah-fay-SOWNG — Affection or fondness; warm emotional attachment
pois: pohys — Because, for, or then; causal conjunction
uma: OO-mah — A or an; feminine indefinite article
certa: SEHR-tah — Certain or a certain; feminine adjective
insensatez: een-sehn-sah-TEHSH — Foolishness or senselessness; lack of good judgment
poderá: poh-deh-RAH — Will be able to; future tense of poder
fazê-lo: fah-ZEH-loo — To do it; infinitive with object pronoun attached
modo: MOH-doo — Way or manner; method of doing something
alguém: ahl-GEYM — Someone or anybody; indefinite person pronoun
por: pohr — For, by, or through; versatile preposition
apegar: ah-peh-GAHR — To attach or cling to; become devoted
devotamente: deh-voh-tah-MEHN-teh — Devotedly or devoutly; with deep dedication
seja: SEH-zhah — Be; third-person singular present subjunctive of ser
dotado: doh-TAH-doo — Gifted or endowed; possessing natural talent
espírito: esh-PEE-ree-too — Spirit or mind; non-material inner essence
possa: POH-sah — Can or may; present subjunctive of poder
considerar: kohn-see-deh-RAHR — To consider or regard; think about carefully
levemente: leh-veh-MEHN-teh — Lightly or slightly; in a mild manner
ganchos: GAN-shoosh — Hooks; curved instruments used for hanging or torturing
outros: OH-troosh — Others or other; remaining or different ones
tormentos: tohr-MEHN-toosh — Torments; severe suffering or anguish inflicted
contra: KON-trah — Against; preposition indicating opposition
todas: TOH-dahsh — All; every one, feminine plural form
terras: TEH-hahsh — Lands or territories; areas of ground or earth
Te: teh — You; second-person singular clitic object pronoun
invocam: een-VOH-kowng — They invoke; third-person plural present of invocar
extremo: esh-TREH-moo — Extreme or utmost; greatest degree of something
terror: teh-HOHR — Terror or dread; extreme overwhelming fear
zombando: zom-BAN-doo — Mocking or jeering; present participle of zombar
daqueles: dah-KEH-lesh — Of those; contraction of 'de' and 'aqueles'
quem: keym — Who or whom; relative or interrogative pronoun
são: sowng — Are; third-person plural present of ser
temidos: teh-MEE-doosh — Feared; past participle of temer, masculine plural
mais: More or most; comparative adverb or adjective
amargamente: ah-mar-gah-MEHN-teh — Bitterly; in a bitter or resentful manner
dos: doosh — Of the; contraction of 'de' and 'os'
sofremos: soh-FREH-moosh — We suffered; first-person plural past of sofrer
infância: een-FAN-syah — Childhood or infancy; early period of life
às: ahsh — At the or to the; feminine plural contraction
mãos: mowngsh — Hands; plural of mão, body part
mestres: MESH-tresh — Masters or teachers; those who instruct others

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