← The Social Cancer: A Complete English Version of Noli Me Tangere

The Social Cancer: A Complete English Version of Noli Me Tangere — Page 14

English → Pt Preface Level 6/10

Native levies had fought loyally under Spanish leadership against Dutch and British invaders, or in suppressing local revolts among their own people, which were always due to some specific grievance, never directed definitely against the Spanish sovereignty.

Levas nativas haviam lutado lealmente sob liderança espanhola contra invasores holandeses e britânicos, ou na supressão de revoltas locais entre o seu próprio povo, que eram sempre devidas a algum agravo específico, nunca dirigidas definitivamente contra a soberania espanhola.

The Philippines were shut off from contact with any country but Spain, and even this communication was restricted and carefully guarded.

As Filipinas estavam isoladas do contato com qualquer país exceto a Espanha, e mesmo essa comunicação era restrita e cuidadosamente vigiada.

There was an elaborate central government which, however, hardly touched the life of the native peoples, who were guided and governed by the parish priests, each town being in a way an independent entity.

Havia um elaborado governo central que, no entanto, mal tocava a vida dos povos nativos, os quais eram guiados e governados pelos padres paroquiais, sendo cada cidade, de certa forma, uma entidade independente.

Of this halcyon period, just before the process of disintegration began, there has fortunately been left a record which may be characterized as the most notable Spanish literary production relating to the Philippines, being the calm, sympathetic, judicial account of one who had spent his manhood in the work there and who, full of years and experience, sat down to tell the story of their life.

Desse período de bonança, logo antes de o processo de desintegração começar, foi felizmente deixado um registro que pode ser caracterizado como a mais notável produção literária espanhola relativa às Filipinas, sendo o relato calmo, simpático e criterioso de alguém que havia dedicado sua maturidade ao trabalho ali e que, repleto de anos e experiência, sentou-se para contar a história de sua vida.

[4] In it there are no puerile whinings, no querulous curses that tropical Malays do not order their lives as did the people of the Spanish village where he may have been reared, no selfish laments of ingratitude over blessings unasked and only imperfectly understood by the natives, no fatuous self-deception as to the real conditions, but a patient consideration of the difficulties encountered, the good accomplished, and the unavoidable evils incident to any human work.

[4] Nele não há lamentos pueris, nem maldições queixosas de que os malaios tropicais não ordenem suas vidas como o fazia o povo da aldeia espanhola onde ele pode ter sido criado, nem lamentações egoístas de ingratidão por bênçãos não solicitadas e apenas imperfeitamente compreendidas pelos nativos, nem fatuosa autoilusão quanto às condições reais, mas uma paciente consideração das dificuldades encontradas, do bem realizado e dos males inevitáveis inerentes a qualquer obra humana.

Vocabulary

Levas
Drafts or levies of people for military service
nativas
Native; belonging to a particular place by birth
haviam
Third person plural past perfect of 'haver'; had
lutado
Fought; past participle of lutar
lealmente
Loyally; in a faithful and devoted manner
sob
Under; beneath; below something
liderança
Leadership; the act or position of leading others
espanhola
Spanish; relating to Spain or its people
contra
Against; in opposition to something or someone
invasores
Invaders; those who enter a territory by force
holandeses
Dutch; relating to the Netherlands or its people
britânicos
British; relating to Great Britain or its people
supressão
Suppression; forcible putting down of resistance or revolt
revoltas
Revolts; uprisings or rebellions against authority
locais
Local; relating to a particular place or area
entre
Between; among; in the middle of multiple things
próprio
Own; proper; belonging specifically to oneself
povo
People; a nation or community sharing common identity
sempre
Always; at all times without exception
devidas
Due; owed; attributable to a particular cause
algum
Some; any; an unspecified one of something
agravo
Grievance; wrong or injury causing resentment
específico
Specific; clearly defined or particular in nature
nunca
Never; at no time whatsoever
dirigidas
Directed; aimed at a particular target or goal
definitivamente
Definitively; in a final and conclusive manner
soberania
Sovereignty; supreme authority or power over a territory
Filipinas
The Philippines; archipelago nation in Southeast Asia
estavam
Were; third person plural imperfect of 'estar'
isoladas
Isolated; cut off from contact with others
contato
Contact; communication or connection with others
qualquer
Any; whichever; any one of several options
país
Country; a nation with its own government and territory
exceto
Except; excluding; not including a particular thing
Espanha
Spain; country in southwestern Europe
mesmo
Even; same; also used for emphasis
comunicação
Communication; exchange of information between parties
restrita
Restricted; limited or controlled in access
cuidadosamente
Carefully; with great attention and caution
vigiada
Watched; monitored; kept under surveillance
Havia
There was; there were; imperfect of 'haver'
elaborado
Elaborate; complex and carefully developed or organized
governo
Government; system of ruling and administering a state
central
Central; relating to or located at the center
entanto
However; nevertheless; used to introduce a contrast
mal
Barely; hardly; also means evil or harm
tocava
Touched; affected; imperfect tense of 'tocar'
vida
Life; the state of being alive or existence
povos
Peoples; distinct communities or ethnic groups
nativos
Natives; original inhabitants of a place
quais
Which; who; relative pronoun referring to previously mentioned
guiados
Guided; led or directed by someone
governados
Governed; ruled or administered by authority
padres
Priests; ordained ministers of the Catholic Church
paroquiais
Parochial; relating to a parish or local church
sendo
Being; present participle of 'ser'
cada
Each; every individual item in a group
cidade
City; town; a large urban settlement
certa
Certain; a particular or specific thing
forma
Form; way; manner in which something exists
entidade
Entity; a distinct and independent unit or body
independente
Independent; free from outside control or authority
Desse
Of that; from that; contraction of 'de' and 'esse'
período
Period; a length of time with distinct characteristics
bonança
Bonanza; a time of prosperity and good fortune
logo
Soon; shortly; immediately after a point in time
antes
Before; prior to a point in time
processo
Process; a series of steps leading to an outcome
desintegração
Disintegration; the breaking apart into smaller pieces
começar
To begin; to start an action or process
foi
Was; went; third person singular preterite of 'ser/ir'
felizmente
Fortunately; happily; in a lucky or fortunate manner
deixado
Left; allowed; past participle of 'deixar'
registro
Record; an account or documentation of events
pode
Can; is able to; third person singular of 'poder'
ser
To be; infinitive indicating identity or state
caracterizado
Characterized; described by particular distinctive features
como
As; like; how; used for comparison or manner
mais
More; most; indicating greater quantity or degree
notável
Notable; remarkable; worthy of attention or recognition
produção
Production; creation of literary or artistic work
literária
Literary; relating to literature or written works
relativa
Relative; relating or pertaining to a particular thing
relato
Account; narrative report of events or experiences
calmo
Calm; peaceful; not agitated or disturbed
simpático
Sympathetic; kind; having a pleasant and warm manner
criterioso
Judicious; showing careful and sound judgment
alguém
Someone; anybody; an unspecified person
havia
Had; there was; third person singular of 'haver'
dedicado
Dedicated; devoted great effort and time to something
maturidade
Maturity; the state of being fully developed or grown
trabalho
Work; labor; the effort expended in doing something
ali
There; in that place; at that location
repleto
Full; replete; filled to capacity with something
anos
Years; units of time equal to twelve months
experiência
Experience; knowledge or skill gained through practice
sentou-se
Sat down; reflexive past tense of 'sentar'
contar
To tell; to count; to narrate a story
história
History; story; a narrative of past events
Nele
In it; in him; contraction of 'em' and 'ele'
não
No; not; negation word denying or refusing something
There is; there are; third person of 'haver'
lamentos
Laments; expressions of grief or sorrow
pueris
Puerile; childish; immature in a foolish way
nem
Nor; neither; used to add a negative element
maldições
Curses; expressions of wish for harm on others
queixosas
Querulous; complaining; full of grievances or whining
malaios
Malays; people belonging to the Malay ethnic group
tropicais
Tropical; relating to or characteristic of the tropics
ordenem
Order; arrange; subjunctive of 'ordenar'
vidas
Lives; plural of vida; individual existences
fazia
Made; did; third person singular imperfect of 'fazer'
aldeia
Village; a small rural settlement or community
onde
Where; in which place or location
ter
To have; infinitive of auxiliary or main verb
sido
Been; past participle of 'ser'
criado
Raised; brought up; past participle of 'criar'
lamentações
Lamentations; prolonged expressions of deep grief or sorrow
egoístas
Selfish; egotistical; concerned only with oneself
ingratidão
Ingratitude; failure to acknowledge or appreciate kindness
bênçãos
Blessings; gifts or favors granted by divine grace
solicitadas
Requested; solicited; asked for by someone
apenas
Only; just; barely; indicating limitation or restriction
imperfeitamente
Imperfectly; in an incomplete or flawed manner
compreendidas
Understood; comprehended; grasped in meaning
fatuosa
Fatuous; foolishly self-satisfied or complacent
autoilusão
Self-delusion; deceiving oneself about reality
quanto
How much; how many; regarding the extent of something
condições
Conditions; circumstances affecting a situation
reais
Real; actual; existing in fact or truth
mas
But; however; conjunction introducing a contrast
paciente
Patient; calmly enduring difficulties without complaint
consideração
Consideration; careful thought given to something
dificuldades
Difficulties; things that are hard to deal with
encontradas
Encountered; found; met with along the way
bem
Well; good; in a satisfactory or correct manner
realizado
Accomplished; achieved; carried out successfully
males
Evils; harms; bad or harmful things
inevitáveis
Inevitable; unable to be avoided or prevented
inerentes
Inherent; existing as a natural part of something
obra
Work; a creation or undertaking by human effort
humana
Human; relating to people or human beings
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