The Souls of Black Folk — Page 14
Away with the black man's ballot, by force or fraud,—and behold the suicide of a race!
¡Fuera con el voto del hombre negro, por la fuerza o el fraude, y contemplad el suicidio de una raza!
Nevertheless, out of the evil came something of good,—the more careful adjustment of education to real life, the clearer perception of the Negroes' social responsibilities, and the sobering realization of the meaning of progress.
Sin embargo, del mal surgió algo de bien: el ajuste más cuidadoso de la educación a la vida real, la percepción más clara de las responsabilidades sociales de los negros, y la sobria comprensión del significado del progreso.
So dawned the time of _Sturm und Drang:_ storm and stress to-day rocks our little boat on the mad waters of the world-sea; there is within and without the sound of conflict, the burning of body and rending of soul; inspiration strives with doubt, and faith with vain questionings.
Así amaneció la época del _Sturm und Drang_: la tormenta y la tensión de hoy sacuden nuestra pequeña barca en las aguas enloquecidas del mar del mundo; hay dentro y fuera el sonido del conflicto, el ardor del cuerpo y el desgarramiento del alma; la inspiración lucha con la duda, y la fe con vanas interrogaciones.
The bright ideals of the past,—physical freedom, political power, the training of brains and the training of hands,—all these in turn have waxed and waned, until even the last grows dim and overcast.
Los brillantes ideales del pasado —la libertad física, el poder político, el cultivo de la mente y el adiestramiento de las manos— todos estos han crecido y menguado por turnos, hasta que incluso el último se vuelve oscuro y nublado.
Are they all wrong,—all false?
¿Son todos erróneos, todos falsos?
No, not that, but each alone was over-simple and incomplete,—the dreams of a credulous race-childhood, or the fond imaginings of the other world which does not know and does not want to know our power.
No, no es eso, sino que cada uno por sí solo era demasiado simple e incompleto: los sueños de una infancia racial crédula, o las queridas fantasías del otro mundo que no conoce ni quiere conocer nuestro poder.
To be really true, all these ideals must be melted and welded into one.
Para ser verdaderamente válidos, todos estos ideales deben fundirse y soldarse en uno solo.
The training of the schools we need to-day more than ever,—the training of deft hands, quick eyes and ears, and above all the broader, deeper, higher culture of gifted minds and pure hearts.
La formación que brindan las escuelas la necesitamos hoy más que nunca: el adiestramiento de manos hábiles, ojos y oídos agudos, y sobre todo la cultura más amplia, más profunda y más elevada de las mentes dotadas y los corazones puros.
The power of the ballot we need in sheer self-defence,—else what shall save us from a second slavery?
El poder del voto lo necesitamos en pura defensa propia, pues de lo contrario ¿qué nos salvará de una segunda esclavitud?
Vocabulary
- Fuera
- Outside; out; away from a place or position.
- con
- With; accompanied by or in association with.
- el
- The; masculine singular definite article.
- voto
- Vote; expression of political preference or choice.
- del
- Of the; contraction of de and el.
- hombre
- Man; adult male human being.
- negro
- Black; dark color or of African descent.
- por
- By; for; through; expressing agency or reason.
- la
- The; feminine singular definite article.
- fuerza
- Force; strength; power or physical might.
- fraude
- Fraud; deception or dishonest action for gain.
- contemplad
- Contemplate; observe or consider thoughtfully (imperative form).
- suicidio
- Suicide; intentional act of ending one's life.
- de
- Of; from; expressing possession or origin.
- una
- A; an; feminine singular indefinite article.
- raza
- Race; ethnic group or human population category.
- Sin
- Without; lacking or not accompanied by something.
- embargo
- However; yet; used in phrase sin embargo.
- mal
- Bad; evil; poorly or in wrong manner.
- surgió
- Emerged; arose or came into being or view.
- algo
- Something; somewhat; anything or some unspecified thing.
- bien
- Good; well; properly or in right manner.
- ajuste
- Adjustment; adaptation or settlement of accounts.
- más
- More; additional quantity or greater degree.
- cuidadoso
- Careful; showing attention to detail and precision.
- educación
- Education; teaching and learning process or instruction.
- vida
- Life; state of being alive or living.
- real
- Real; genuine; actual or authentic thing.
- percepción
- Perception; act of becoming aware through senses.
- clara
- Clear; easy to understand or perceive.
- las
- The; feminine plural definite article.
- responsabilidades
- Responsibilities; duties or obligations one must fulfill.
- sociales
- Social; relating to society or human interaction.
- los
- The; masculine plural definite article.
- negros
- Black people; persons of African descent.
- sobria
- Sober; serious or moderate in judgment.
- comprensión
- Understanding; grasping meaning or significance of something.
- significado
- Meaning; sense or intended message of something.
- progreso
- Progress; advancement or improvement toward better state.
- Así
- Thus; in this manner or way.
- amaneció
- Dawned; broke of day or became light.
- época
- Epoch; period of time or historical age.
- tormenta
- Storm; violent disturbance of weather with wind.
- tensión
- Tension; state of being stretched or strained.
- hoy
- Today; on this day or present day.
- sacuden
- Shake; move vigorously back and forth.
- nuestra
- Our; belonging to us or our group.
- pequeña
- Small; little or of limited size.
- barca
- Boat; small vessel for traveling on water.
- en
- In; inside or within a place.
- aguas
- Waters; bodies of water or liquid.
- mar
- Sea; large body of salt water.
- mundo
- World; the earth or human society.
- hay
- There is; there are; existence.
- dentro
- Inside; within or in the interior.
- sonido
- Sound; vibration perceived by the ear.
- conflicto
- Conflict; clash or disagreement between parties.
- ardor
- Ardor; passion or enthusiasm for something.
- cuerpo
- Body; physical form of a person.
- alma
- Soul; spiritual essence of a person.
- inspiración
- Inspiration; creative impulse or sudden idea.
- lucha
- Struggle; fight or contest with effort.
- duda
- Doubt; uncertainty or lack of belief.
- fe
- Faith; belief or confidence in something.
- Los
- The; masculine plural definite article.
- brillantes
- Brilliant; shining brightly or intellectually outstanding.
- ideales
- Ideals; principles or standards of excellence.
- pasado
- Past; time or events that happened before.
- libertad
- Freedom; state of being free from control.
- física
- Physical; relating to body or matter.
- poder
- Power; ability or capacity to do something.
- político
- Political; relating to government or politics.
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