The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African: Written By Himself — Page 2
I believe there are few events in my life, which have not happened to many: it is true the incidents of it are numerous; and, did I consider myself an European, I might say my sufferings were great: but when I compare my lot with that of most of my countrymen, I regard myself as a _particular favourite of Heaven_, and acknowledge the mercies of Providence in every occurrence of my life.
Creo que hay pocos acontecimientos en mi vida que no les hayan ocurrido a muchos: es cierto que los incidentes de ella son numerosos; y, si me considerara europeo, podría decir que mis sufrimientos fueron grandes: pero cuando comparo mi suerte con la de la mayoría de mis compatriotas, me considero un _favorito particular del Cielo_, y reconozco las misericordias de la Providencia en cada suceso de mi vida.
If then the following narrative does not appear sufficiently interesting to engage general attention, let my motive be some excuse for its publication.
Si entonces el siguiente relato no parece suficientemente interesante como para captar la atención general, que mi motivo sirva de alguna disculpa para su publicación.
I am not so foolishly vain as to expect from it either immortality or literary reputation.
No soy tan neciamente vanidoso como para esperar de él ni la inmortalidad ni la reputación literaria.
If it affords any satisfaction to my numerous friends, at whose request it has been written, or in the smallest degree promotes the interests of humanity, the ends for which it was undertaken will be fully attained, and every wish of my heart gratified.
Si proporciona alguna satisfacción a mis numerosos amigos, a cuya petición ha sido escrito, o en el menor grado promueve los intereses de la humanidad, los fines para los cuales fue emprendido se alcanzarán plenamente, y cada deseo de mi corazón quedará satisfecho.
Let it therefore be remembered, that, in wishing to avoid censure, I do not aspire to praise.
Que se recuerde, por tanto, que, al desear evitar la censura, no aspiro a la alabanza.
That part of Africa, known by the name of Guinea, to which the trade for slaves is carried on, extends along the coast above 3400 miles, from the Senegal to Angola, and includes a variety of kingdoms.
Esa parte de África, conocida con el nombre de Guinea, hacia la cual se lleva a cabo el comercio de esclavos, se extiende a lo largo de la costa más de 3400 millas, desde el Senegal hasta Angola, e incluye una variedad de reinos.
Of these the most considerable is the kingdom of Benen, both as to extent and wealth, the richness and cultivation of the soil, the power of its king, and the number and warlike disposition of the inhabitants.
De estos, el más considerable es el reino de Benín, tanto en extensión y riqueza, como en la fertilidad y cultivo del suelo, el poder de su rey, y el número y la disposición guerrera de sus habitantes.
Vocabulary
- Creo
- I believe; first person singular of creer
- que
- that; conjunction connecting clauses
- hay
- there is/are; impersonal form of haber
- pocos
- few; small number of something
- acontecimientos
- events or happenings of significance
- en
- in; preposition indicating location or time
- mi
- my; first person singular possessive adjective
- vida
- life; the existence of a living being
- no
- no; negation particle
- les
- to them; indirect object pronoun third person plural
- hayan
- have; subjunctive form of haber
- ocurrido
- occurred; past participle of ocurrir
- a
- to; preposition indicating direction or recipient
- muchos
- many; large quantity of people or things
- es
- is; third person singular of ser
- cierto
- certain; true or definite
- los
- the; definite article masculine plural
- incidentes
- incidents; events or occurrences
- de
- of; preposition indicating possession or origin
- ella
- she/her; third person singular feminine pronoun
- son
- are; third person plural of ser
- numerosos
- numerous; many in number
- y
- and; conjunction joining words or phrases
- si
- if; conditional conjunction
- me
- me; first person singular reflexive pronoun
- considerara
- considered; imperfect subjunctive of considerar
- europeo
- European; person from or relating to Europe
- podría
- could; conditional form of poder
- decir
- to say; infinitive verb of speaking
- mis
- my; first person plural possessive adjective
- sufrimientos
- sufferings; experiences of pain or hardship
- fueron
- were; third person plural preterite of ser
- grandes
- great; large or significant in degree
- pero
- but; conjunction indicating contrast
- cuando
- when; temporal conjunction
- comparo
- I compare; first person singular of comparar
- suerte
- luck or fortune; one's fate
- con
- with; preposition indicating accompaniment
- la
- the; definite article feminine singular
- mayoría
- majority; the greater part of a group
- compatriotas
- compatriots; fellow citizens of the same country
- considero
- I consider; first person singular of considerar
- un
- a/an; indefinite article masculine singular
- _favorito
- favorite; especially preferred by someone
- particular
- particular; specific or individual
- del
- of the; contraction of de and el
- Cielo_
- Heaven; the sky or divine realm
- reconozco
- I recognize; first person singular of reconocer
- las
- the; definite article feminine plural
- misericordias
- mercies; acts of compassion or divine grace
- Providencia
- Providence; divine guidance or care
- cada
- each; every individual item or person
- suceso
- event; something that happens or occurs
- Si
- if; conditional conjunction beginning clause
- entonces
- then; at that time or consequently
- el
- the; definite article masculine singular
- siguiente
- following; the next in order
- relato
- account or story; narrative of events
- parece
- seems; third person singular of parecer
- suficientemente
- sufficiently; to an adequate degree
- interesante
- interesting; holding attention or curiosity
- como
- as/like; conjunction or preposition of comparison
- para
- for/to; preposition indicating purpose
- captar
- to capture; to attract or gain attention
- atención
- attention; the act of paying notice
- general
- general; widespread or not specific
- motivo
- motive; reason or cause for action
- sirva
- may serve; present subjunctive of servir
- alguna
- some; an unspecified feminine noun modifier
- disculpa
- excuse or apology; justification for action
- su
- his/her/its/your; third person possessive adjective
- publicación
- publication; the act of publishing a work
- No
- no; negation particle
- soy
- I am; first person singular of ser
- tan
- so/as; adverb of degree
- neciamente
- foolishly; in a foolish or silly manner
- vanidoso
- vain; excessively proud of oneself
- esperar
- to hope or expect; to wait for something
- él
- he/it; third person singular masculine pronoun
- ni
- nor/neither; negative conjunction
- inmortalidad
- immortality; the state of living forever
- reputación
- reputation; general opinion others hold of someone
- literaria
- literary; relating to literature or writing
- proporciona
- provides; third person singular of proporcionar
- satisfacción
- satisfaction; feeling of fulfillment or pleasure
- amigos
- friends; people one has close relationships with
- cuya
- whose; feminine relative possessive pronoun
- petición
- request; a formal or personal appeal
- ha
- has; third person singular of haber
- sido
- been; past participle of ser
- escrito
- written; past participle of escribir
- o
- or; conjunction indicating alternative
- menor
- lesser; smaller in degree or importance
- grado
- degree; level or extent of something
- promueve
- promotes; third person singular of promover
- intereses
- interests; matters of concern or benefit
- humanidad
- humanity; all human beings collectively
- fines
- ends/purposes; goals or objectives sought
- cuales
- which; plural relative pronoun
- fue
- was/went; third person singular preterite of ser/ir
- emprendido
- undertaken; past participle of emprender
- se
- reflexive pronoun; third person singular or plural
- alcanzarán
- will be achieved; future tense of alcanzar
- plenamente
- fully; in a complete or total manner
- deseo
- desire or wish; a strong want
- corazón
- heart; the organ or seat of emotion
- quedará
- will remain; future tense of quedar
- satisfecho
- satisfied; feeling fulfilled or content
- Que
- that/may; conjunction or subordinator
- recuerde
- remember; present subjunctive of recordar
- por
- for/by; preposition of cause or means
- tanto
- so much; adverb or pronoun of quantity
- al
- to the; contraction of a and el
- desear
- to desire; infinitive of wanting something
- evitar
- to avoid; to prevent or stay away from
- censura
- censure; harsh criticism or official disapproval
- aspiro
- I aspire; first person singular of aspirar
- alabanza
- praise; expression of admiration or approval
- Esa
- that; feminine demonstrative adjective
- parte
- part; a portion or region of something
- África
- Africa; the continent south of the Mediterranean
- conocida
- known; feminine past participle of conocer
- nombre
- name; a word used to identify something
- Guinea
- Guinea; region of West Africa
- hacia
- toward; preposition indicating direction
- cual
- which; relative pronoun singular
- lleva
- carries or leads; third person singular of llevar
- cabo
- cabo; used in llevar a cabo meaning to carry out
- comercio
- commerce; trade or business activity
- esclavos
- slaves; people held in bondage
- extiende
- extends; third person singular of extender
- lo
- it; neuter or masculine direct object pronoun
- largo
- long; great in length or distance
- costa
- coast; land bordering the sea
- más
- more; greater in quantity or degree
- millas
- miles; units of distance measurement
- desde
- from/since; preposition of origin or starting point
- hasta
- until/up to; preposition of limit or endpoint
- e
- and; variant of y before i or hi sounds
- incluye
- includes; third person singular of incluir
- una
- a/an; indefinite article feminine singular
- variedad
- variety; a range of different things
- reinos
- kingdoms; territories ruled by a king
- De
- of/from; preposition of origin or belonging
- estos
- these; masculine plural demonstrative pronoun
- considerable
- considerable; notably large or significant
- reino
- kingdom; a country ruled by a monarch
- extensión
- extension; the size or scope of something
- riqueza
- wealth; abundance of valuable resources
- fertilidad
- fertility; the quality of producing abundantly
- cultivo
- cultivation; farming or growing of crops
- suelo
- soil; the earth in which plants grow
- poder
- power; the ability or authority to act
- rey
- king; the male ruler of a kingdom
- número
- number; a numerical count or quantity
- disposición
- disposition; natural tendency or arrangement
- guerrera
- warlike; feminine adjective meaning martial or combative
- sus
- their/his/her; third person plural possessive adjective
- habitantes
- inhabitants; people who live in a place
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