The Souls of Black Folk — Page 15

English → Spanish Full Text Level 8/10

Freedom, too, the long-sought, we still seek,—the freedom of life and limb, the freedom to work and think, the freedom to love and aspire.

La libertad también, la tan anhelada, aún la buscamos: la libertad de vida y de cuerpo, la libertad de trabajar y pensar, la libertad de amar y aspirar.

Work, culture, liberty,—all these we need, not singly but together, not successively but together, each growing and aiding each, and all striving toward that vaster ideal that swims before the Negro people, the ideal of human brotherhood, gained through the unifying ideal of Race; the ideal of fostering and developing the traits and talents of the Negro, not in opposition to or contempt for other races, but rather in large conformity to the greater ideals of the American Republic, in order that some day on American soil two world-races may give each to each those characteristics both so sadly lack.

Trabajo, cultura, libertad: todo esto necesitamos, no por separado sino juntos, no sucesivamente sino juntos, cada uno creciendo y apoyando al otro, y todos esforzándose hacia ese ideal más vasto que flota ante el pueblo negro, el ideal de la fraternidad humana, alcanzado a través del ideal unificador de la Raza; el ideal de fomentar y desarrollar los rasgos y talentos del negro, no en oposición ni en desprecio hacia otras razas, sino más bien en amplia conformidad con los grandes ideales de la República Americana, a fin de que algún día en suelo americano dos razas universales puedan darse mutuamente las características que ambas tan tristemente carecen.

We the darker ones come even now not altogether empty-handed: there are to-day no truer exponents of the pure human spirit of the Declaration of Independence than the American Negroes; there is no true American music but the wild sweet melodies of the Negro slave; the American fairy tales and folklore are Indian and African; and, all in all, we black men seem the sole oasis of simple faith and reverence in a dusty desert of dollars and smartness.

Nosotros, los más oscuros, llegamos incluso ahora no del todo con las manos vacías: hoy no hay exponentes más fieles del puro espíritu humano de la Declaración de Independencia que los negros americanos; no existe música verdaderamente americana salvo las dulces y salvajes melodías del esclavo negro; los cuentos de hadas y el folclore americano son indios y africanos; y, en definitiva, nosotros los hombres negros parecemos ser el único oasis de fe sencilla y reverencia en un árido desierto de dólares y astucia.

Will America be poorer if she replace her brutal dyspeptic blundering with light-hearted but determined Negro humility? or her coarse and cruel wit with loving jovial good-humor? or her vulgar music with the soul of the Sorrow Songs?

¿Será América más pobre si reemplaza sus brutales y dispépticos errores con la jovial pero decidida humildad negra? ¿o su tosco y cruel ingenio con el afectuoso y jovial buen humor? ¿o su vulgar música con el alma de las Canciones del Dolor?

Vocabulary

libertad: Freedom or liberty as a fundamental human right
también: Also or too, indicating addition
tan: So or such, used for emphasis or comparison
anhelada: Longed for or deeply yearned for
aún: Still or yet, indicating continuation
buscamos: We search or we look for something
vida: Life as existence or way of living
cuerpo: Body, the physical structure of a person
trabajar: To work or to labor at a task
pensar: To think or to reflect on something
amar: To love someone or something deeply
aspirar: To aspire or strive toward a goal
Trabajo: Work or labor as an activity or occupation
cultura: Culture encompassing arts, beliefs, and customs
todo: All or everything, indicating totality
esto: This, referring to something nearby or just mentioned
necesitamos: We need or require something essential
separado: Separate or apart, not together with others
sino: But rather, correcting or contrasting a previous statement
juntos: Together, acting or existing in unison
sucesivamente: Successively, one after another in sequence
cada: Each or every individual item or person
creciendo: Growing or developing over time
apoyando: Supporting or backing someone or something
otro: Other or another person or thing
todos: All or everyone, referring to an entire group
esforzándose: Striving or making an effort toward something
hacia: Toward, indicating direction or goal
ese: That, pointing to something previously mentioned
ideal: Ideal, a perfect principle or aspiration
más: More or most, indicating greater degree
vasto: Vast or immense in scope or size
flota: Floats or hovers, remaining suspended in air
ante: Before or in front of something
pueblo: People or community sharing common identity
negro: Black, referring to color or racial identity
fraternidad: Brotherhood or fraternity among human beings
humana: Human, relating to people or humanity
alcanzado: Achieved or reached after effort or striving
través: Through, indicating passage or means
unificador: Unifier, something or someone that brings unity
Raza: Race, referring to ethnic or social group identity
fomentar: To foster or promote the development of something
desarrollar: To develop or cultivate skills and qualities
rasgos: Traits or characteristics defining a person or group
talentos: Talents or natural abilities a person possesses
oposición: Opposition or resistance against something else
ni: Neither or nor, connecting negative alternatives
desprecio: Contempt or scorn directed toward others
otras: Other, referring to different groups or things
razas: Races or ethnic groups of people
bien: Well or good, indicating quality or approval
amplia: Broad or wide in scope or extent
conformidad: Conformity or compliance with rules or ideals
grandes: Great or large in importance or size
ideales: Ideals or principles guiding behavior and aspirations
República: Republic, a form of government with elected representatives
Americana: American, relating to the United States or Americas
fin: End or goal, the purpose of something
algún: Some or any, indicating an unspecified one
día: Day, a unit of time or future moment
suelo: Soil or ground, the earth beneath us
americano: American, relating to the United States or Americas
universales: Universal, applying to all people everywhere
puedan: Can or may, expressing possibility or permission
darse: To give each other or exchange mutually
mutuamente: Mutually, in a way that is shared reciprocally
características: Characteristics or features defining someone or something
ambas: Both, referring to two things or groups together
tristemente: Sadly or regrettably, in a sorrowful manner
carecen: They lack or are missing something necessary
oscuros: Dark or obscure, lacking light or clarity
llegamos: We arrive or we have arrived somewhere
incluso: Even or including, adding emphasis to a statement
ahora: Now, at the present moment in time
manos: Hands, the body part used for grasping
vacías: Empty or vacant, containing nothing inside
hoy: Today, referring to the current day
hay: There is or there are, expressing existence
exponentes: Exponents or representatives embodying a cause or idea
fieles: Faithful or loyal, devoted to a cause
puro: Pure or clean, free from corruption or mixture
espíritu: Spirit or soul, the non-physical essence of being
humano: Human, relating to people and their nature
Declaración: Declaration, a formal public statement or announcement
Independencia: Independence, freedom from external control or rule
negros: Black people, referring to African American community
americanos: Americans, people from the United States
existe: Exists or there is something in reality
música: Music, organized sound for artistic expression
verdaderamente: Truly or genuinely, in an authentic manner
americana: American, relating to the United States culture
salvo: Except or save for, indicating an exclusion
dulces: Sweet or gentle, pleasing to senses or feelings
salvajes: Wild or savage, untamed and uncivilized
melodías: Melodies or tunes that form musical expressions
esclavo: Slave, a person owned and forced to labor
cuentos: Stories or tales, short narrative works
hadas: Fairies, mythical magical beings in folklore
folclore: Folklore, traditional stories and customs of a culture
indios: Indians, referring to Indigenous American peoples
africanos: Africans, people originating from the African continent
definitiva: Definitive or final, conclusive and decisive
hombres: Men or people, adult male human beings
parecemos: We seem or appear to be something
ser: To be, expressing identity or permanent state
único: Unique or only, being the sole one
oasis: Oasis, a refuge or fertile place amid desolation
fe: Faith or belief, trust in something unseen
sencilla: Simple or plain, uncomplicated and straightforward
reverencia: Reverence or deep respect shown toward something
árido: Arid or dry, lacking moisture or vitality
desierto: Desert, a barren dry uninhabited landscape
dólares: Dollars, the monetary currency of the United States
astucia: Cunning or shrewdness, clever and crafty behavior
Será: Will it be, future tense of to be
América: America, referring to the United States or continent
pobre: Poor or impoverished, lacking wealth or resources
si: If, introducing a conditional clause or question
reemplaza: Replaces or substitutes one thing for another
brutales: Brutal or savage, marked by extreme cruelty
dispépticos: Dyspeptic or irritable, suffering from indigestion or grumpiness
errores: Errors or mistakes, incorrect actions or beliefs
jovial: Jovial or cheerful, having a merry disposition
pero: But, introducing a contrast or exception
decidida: Determined or resolute, firmly committed to purpose
humildad: Humility, modest view of one's own importance
negra: Black, referring to color or racial identity
tosco: Coarse or crude, rough and lacking refinement
cruel: Cruel, causing pain or suffering intentionally
ingenio: Wit or ingenuity, clever and creative thinking
afectuoso: Affectionate or warm, showing care and tenderness
buen: Good, having positive qualities or character
humor: Humor or mood, comic quality or emotional state
vulgar: Vulgar or common, lacking refinement or taste
alma: Soul or spirit, the inner essence of a person
Canciones: Songs, musical compositions with lyrics and melody
Dolor: Pain or sorrow, physical or emotional suffering

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