← The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I.: Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments

The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I.: Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments — Page 3

English → De Preface Level 7/10

It is not merely a scholar's edition, though no oriental student can afford to be without it; but beyond this narrow circle it has ever appealed to the wide audience that cares to know the famous books of the world in their most perfect and faithful reflections.

Es ist nicht nur eine Gelehrtenausgabe, obwohl kein Orientalist es sich leisten kann, darauf zu verzichten; aber über diesen engen Kreis hinaus hat es stets ein breites Publikum angesprochen, das daran interessiert ist, die berühmten Bücher der Welt in ihren vollkommensten und getreuesten Wiedergaben kennenzulernen.

The actual moment is an opportune one for the reappearance of the work.

Der gegenwärtige Zeitpunkt ist ein günstiger für das Wiedererscheinen des Werkes.

Egypt just now holds a foremost place in the eyes of the world, and it is of Egypt that the _Thousand and One Nights_ have most to tell.

Ägypten nimmt gegenwärtig einen hervorragenden Platz in den Augen der Welt ein, und es ist über Ägypten, dass die _Tausend und eine Nacht_ am meisten zu berichten hat.

Indian or Persian as many of the tales are in their origin, their setting is almost purely Egyptian; and though the place may be nominally Baghdád or India, or even furthest China, it is in mediæval Cairo, in the days of the Memlooks, that the scene of the Arabian Nights is really laid.

So indisch oder persisch viele der Geschichten in ihrem Ursprung auch sein mögen, ihr Schauplatz ist fast rein ägyptisch; und obwohl der Ort nominell Bagdad oder Indien oder sogar das fernste China sein mag, spielt sich die Handlung der Arabischen Nächte wirklich im mittelalterlichen Kairo, in den Tagen der Mamluken, ab.

The people described are not Hindoos or Chinese, but Arabs and Egyptians as they lived and moved in the fifteenth century, when some of the beautiful mosques and tombs, that still make Cairo the delight of artists, were being built, and the devastating hand of the Ottoman Turk had not yet been laid on the land of the Pharaohs.

Die beschriebenen Menschen sind keine Hindus oder Chinesen, sondern Araber und Ägypter, so wie sie im fünfzehnten Jahrhundert lebten und sich bewegten, als einige der wunderschönen Moscheen und Gräber, die Kairo noch heute zur Freude der Künstler machen, erbaut wurden und die verheerende Hand des osmanischen Türken noch nicht auf das Land der Pharaonen gelegt worden war.

For a minute picture of Arabian society as it was in the Middle Ages, the _Thousand and One Nights_ have no rival, and it is Mr.

Für ein detailliertes Bild der arabischen Gesellschaft, wie sie im Mittelalter war, haben die _Tausend und eine Nacht_ kein Gegenstück, und es ist Herr

Vocabulary

Es
It; the subject pronoun for impersonal constructions.
ist
Is; third person singular present tense of sein.
nicht
Not; primary negation word in German.
nur
Only; merely; exclusively.
eine
A, an; indefinite article feminine singular.
obwohl
Although; even though; despite the fact that.
kein
No, not a; negation of indefinite articles.
sich
Himself, herself, itself; reflexive pronoun.
leisten
Afford; can manage or provide something.
kann
Can; is able to; present tense of können.
darauf
On it; thereupon; in response to that.
zu
To; toward; infinitive marker; preposition.
verzichten
Forgo; do without; renounce or abstain.
aber
But; however; conjunction expressing contrast.
über
Over, above; about; concerning; preposition.
diesen
This; demonstrative pronoun, accusative masculine singular.
engen
Narrow; tight; confined; constricted space.
Kreis
Circle; group; sphere; circle of people.
hinaus
Out; beyond; outside; outward direction.
hat
Has; third person singular of haben.
stets
Always; constantly; continuously throughout time.
ein
A, an; indefinite article masculine singular.
breites
Broad; wide; extensive in scope or range.
Publikum
Audience; public; readership or viewers collectively.
angesprochen
Addressed; appealed to; engaged with audience.
das
The; that; relative pronoun neuter singular.
daran
At it; in it; on that matter.
interessiert
Interested; concerned; engaged with topic.
die
The; she; relative pronoun feminine plural.
berühmten
Famous; renowned; celebrated; well-known works.
Bücher
Books; written works; volumes of literature.
der
The; relative pronoun masculine singular genitive.
Welt
World; earth; globe; all people collectively.
in
In; within; during; preposition of location.
ihren
Their; possessive pronoun feminine or plural.
vollkommensten
Most perfect; most complete; most flawless versions.
und
And; conjunction connecting words or clauses.
getreuesten
Most faithful; most loyal; most accurate versions.
kennenzulernen
To get to know; become acquainted with.
Der
The; relative pronoun masculine singular nominative.
gegenwärtige
Present; current; contemporary; existing at this time.
Zeitpunkt
Point in time; moment; present time period.
günstiger
Favorable; auspicious; well-suited; opportune moment.
für
For; in favor of; on behalf of.
des
The; relative pronoun masculine singular genitive.
Werkes
Work; opus; literary or artistic creation.
Ägypten
Egypt; North African country; ancient civilization.
nimmt
Takes; third person singular of nehmen.
gegenwärtig
Currently; at present; in modern times.
einen
A, an; indefinite article accusative masculine.
hervorragenden
Outstanding; prominent; excellent; superior rank position.
Platz
Place; seat; position; location or rank.
den
The; relative pronoun masculine singular accusative.
Augen
Eyes; sight; perspective; point of view.
dass
That; conjunction introducing subordinate clause.
Tausend
Thousand; large number; One Thousand and One Nights.
Nacht
Night; darkness; evening hours; period of darkness.
am
At the; on the; contraction of an dem.
meisten
Most; majority; the greatest amount or degree.
berichten
Report; tell; describe; give account of.
So
So; thus; in this manner; therefore.
indisch
Indian; relating to India or its culture.
oder
Or; either; conjunction presenting alternatives.
persisch
Persian; relating to Persia or Iran.
viele
Many; numerous; large number of items.
Geschichten
Stories; tales; narratives; historical accounts.
ihrem
Their; possessive pronoun dative feminine or plural.
Ursprung
Origin; source; beginning; point of derivation.
auch
Also; too; in addition; as well.
sein
Be; exist; to have state of being.
mögen
May; like; might; express possibility or preference.
ihr
Her; their; possessive pronoun feminine singular.
Schauplatz
Scene; setting; stage; location of action.
fast
Almost; nearly; practically; very close to.
rein
Pure; purely; clean; entirely; exclusively real.
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