The Social Cancer: A Complete English Version of Noli Me Tangere — Page 6
There was some compulsory labor in timber-cutting and ship-building, with enforced military service as rowers and soldiers for expeditions to the Moluccas and the coasts of Asia, but nowhere the unspeakable atrocities which in Mexico, Hispaniola, and South America drove mothers to strangle their babes at birth and whole tribes to prefer self-immolation to the living death in the mines and slave-pens.
Il y avait un certain travail forcé dans l'abattage du bois et la construction navale, avec un service militaire obligatoire comme rameurs et soldats pour les expéditions aux Moluques et sur les côtes d'Asie, mais nulle part les atrocités indicibles qui au Mexique, à Hispaniola et en Amérique du Sud poussaient les mères à étrangler leurs nourrissons à la naissance et des tribus entières à préférer l'immolation volontaire à la mort lente dans les mines et les enclos d'esclaves.
Quite differently from the case in America, where entire islands and districts were depopulated, to bring on later the curse of negro slavery, in the Philippines the fact appears that the native population really increased and the standard of living was raised under the stern, yet beneficent, tutelage of the missionary fathers.
Tout à fait différemment du cas en Amérique, où des îles et des régions entières furent dépeuplées, pour engendrer plus tard le fléau de l'esclavage des nègres, aux Philippines le fait apparaît que la population indigène augmenta véritablement et que le niveau de vie fut élevé sous la tutelle sévère mais bienveillante des pères missionnaires.
The great distance and the hardships of the journey precluded the coming of many irresponsible adventurers from Spain and, fortunately for the native population, no great mineral wealth was ever discovered in the Philippine Islands.
La grande distance et les difficultés du voyage empêchaient la venue de nombreux aventuriers irresponsables d'Espagne et, heureusement pour la population indigène, aucune grande richesse minérale ne fut jamais découverte dans les îles Philippines.
The system of government was, in its essential features, a simple one.
Le système de gouvernement était, dans ses caractéristiques essentielles, un système simple.
The missionary priests drew the inhabitants of the towns and villages about themselves or formed new settlements, and with profuse use of symbol and symbolism taught the people the Faith, laying particular stress upon "the fear of God," as administered by them, reconciling the people to their subjection by inculcating the Christian virtues of patience and humility.
Les prêtres missionnaires attiraient les habitants des villes et des villages autour d'eux ou fondaient de nouveaux établissements, et par un usage abondant du symbole et du symbolisme enseignaient la Foi au peuple, mettant un accent particulier sur « la crainte de Dieu », telle qu'elle était dispensée par eux, réconciliant le peuple avec sa sujétion en inculquant les vertus chrétiennes de patience et d'humilité.
Vocabulary
- y
- Adverbial pronoun meaning 'there' or 'it'
- avait
- Past tense of 'avoir'; there was/were
- certain
- Adjective meaning a certain, particular, or definite
- travail
- Noun meaning work, labor, or employment
- forcé
- Adjective meaning forced, compulsory, or coerced
- abattage
- Noun meaning felling of trees or slaughtering
- bois
- Noun meaning wood, timber, or forest
- construction
- Noun meaning construction, building, or assembly
- navale
- Adjective meaning naval, relating to ships or navy
- service
- Noun meaning service, duty, or operation
- militaire
- Adjective meaning military, relating to armed forces
- obligatoire
- Adjective meaning obligatory, compulsory, or required
- rameurs
- Noun meaning rowers, people who row boats
- soldats
- Noun meaning soldiers, military personnel
- expéditions
- Noun meaning expeditions, missions, or voyages
- côtes
- Noun meaning coasts, shores, or coastlines
- nulle
- Adjective meaning none, no, or nonexistent anywhere
- part
- Noun meaning part or place; 'nulle part' means nowhere
- atrocités
- Noun meaning atrocities, horrific or cruel acts
- indicibles
- Adjective meaning unspeakable, inexpressible, or indescribable
- Sud
- Noun meaning south, or used in 'South America'
- poussaient
- Imperfect tense of 'pousser'; were pushing or driving
- mères
- Noun meaning mothers, female parents
- étrangler
- Verb meaning to strangle, choke, or throttle someone
- nourrissons
- Noun meaning infants, newborns, or nursing babies
- naissance
- Noun meaning birth, origin, or beginning of life
- tribus
- Noun meaning tribes, ethnic or social groups
- entières
- Adjective meaning entire, whole, or complete
- préférer
- Verb meaning to prefer, favor, or choose over something
- immolation
- Noun meaning immolation, self-sacrifice, or ritual killing
- volontaire
- Adjective meaning voluntary, willing, or self-chosen
- mort
- Noun meaning death, the end of life
- lente
- Adjective meaning slow, gradual, or unhurried
- mines
- Noun meaning mines, underground excavations for minerals
- enclos
- Noun meaning enclosure, pen, or fenced area
- esclaves
- Noun meaning slaves, people held in bondage
- Tout
- Adjective or pronoun meaning everything, all, or entirely
- différemment
- Adverb meaning differently, in a different manner
- cas
- Noun meaning case, situation, or instance
- îles
- Noun meaning islands, land masses surrounded by water
- régions
- Noun meaning regions, areas, or geographical zones
- furent
- Simple past of 'être'; were (plural past tense)
- dépeuplées
- Adjective meaning depopulated, emptied of inhabitants
- engendrer
- Verb meaning to engender, generate, or give rise to
- tard
- Adverb meaning late or later in time
- fléau
- Noun meaning scourge, plague, or devastating curse
- esclavage
- Noun meaning slavery, the condition of being enslaved
- apparaît
- Verb meaning appears, becomes visible, or seems evident
- population
- Noun meaning population, total number of inhabitants
- indigène
- Adjective meaning indigenous, native, or aboriginal
- augmenta
- Simple past of 'augmenter'; increased or grew in number
- véritablement
- Adverb meaning truly, genuinely, or in reality
- niveau
- Noun meaning level, standard, or degree of something
- vie
- Noun meaning life, existence, or way of living
- fut
- Simple past of 'être'; was (third person singular)
- élevé
- Adjective meaning raised, elevated, or high in level
- sous
- Preposition meaning under, beneath, or below
- tutelle
- Noun meaning guardianship, tutelage, or supervision
- sévère
- Adjective meaning severe, strict, or harsh in manner
- bienveillante
- Adjective meaning benevolent, kind, or well-meaning
- pères
- Noun meaning fathers or, in religious context, priests
- missionnaires
- Noun meaning missionaries, religious workers spreading faith
- distance
- Noun meaning distance, the space between two points
- difficultés
- Noun meaning difficulties, challenges, or obstacles faced
- voyage
- Noun meaning trip, journey, or travel
- empêchaient
- Imperfect of 'empêcher'; were preventing or hindering
- venue
- Noun meaning coming, arrival, or the act of coming
- nombreux
- Adjective meaning numerous, many, or a large number
- aventuriers
- Noun meaning adventurers, risk-takers, or fortune seekers
- irresponsables
- Adjective meaning irresponsible, reckless, or unaccountable
- heureusement
- Adverb meaning fortunately, luckily, or happily
- aucune
- Adjective meaning no, none, or not any (feminine)
- richesse
- Noun meaning wealth, richness, or valuable resource
- minérale
- Adjective meaning mineral, relating to mined substances
- jamais
- Adverb meaning never or ever in negative constructions
- découverte
- Noun meaning discovery, or adjective meaning discovered
- système
- Noun meaning system, organized method, or structure
- gouvernement
- Noun meaning government, governing authority or administration
- était
- Imperfect of 'être'; was or used to be
- caractéristiques
- Noun meaning characteristics, features, or defining traits
- essentielles
- Adjective meaning essential, fundamental, or most important
- simple
- Adjective meaning simple, easy, or uncomplicated
- prêtres
- Noun meaning priests, ordained religious clergy members
- attiraient
- Imperfect of 'attirer'; were attracting or drawing in
- habitants
- Noun meaning inhabitants, residents, or local population
- villes
- Noun meaning cities, towns, or urban settlements
- villages
- Noun meaning villages, small rural communities
- autour
- Adverb or preposition meaning around, surrounding something
- fondaient
- Imperfect of 'fonder'; were founding or establishing
- nouveaux
- Adjective meaning new, novel, or recently created
- établissements
- Noun meaning establishments, settlements, or institutions founded
- usage
- Noun meaning use, usage, or customary practice
- abondant
- Adjective meaning abundant, plentiful, or in great quantity
- symbole
- Noun meaning symbol, sign representing an idea or concept
- symbolisme
- Noun meaning symbolism, use of symbols to represent ideas
- enseignaient
- Imperfect of 'enseigner'; were teaching or instructing
- Foi
- Noun meaning faith, religious belief, or trust
- peuple
- Noun meaning people, nation, or common population
- mettant
- Present participle of 'mettre'; putting or placing emphasis
- accent
- Noun meaning accent, emphasis, or stress on something
- particulier
- Adjective meaning particular, specific, or special
- crainte
- Noun meaning fear, dread, or reverential awe
- telle
- Adjective meaning such, of that kind (feminine form)
- dispensée
- Past participle of 'dispenser'; dispensed, distributed, or taught
- réconciliant
- Present participle of 'réconcilier'; reconciling or making peace
- sujétion
- Noun meaning subjection, submission, or state of dependence
- inculquant
- Present participle of 'inculquer'; instilling or imparting values
- vertus
- Noun meaning virtues, moral qualities, or good characteristics
- chrétiennes
- Adjective meaning Christian, relating to Christianity (feminine plural)
- patience
- Noun meaning patience, ability to wait calmly
- humilité
- Noun meaning humility, modesty, or lack of arrogance
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